November 7, 2014
Colorado, USA
Out of respect for a Veteran friend who was there - pausing for a moment of respect for the brave Blue Spaders who paid the ultimate price at the Ambush at Srok Rung, November 7, 1967 - Vietnam. May these heroes Rest in Peace and may their friends and loved ones know - they are not forgotten.
The following was shared with me a while back by the wife of the Veteran friend mentioned above. It seems an appropriate time to revisit it.
COMBAT VETERANS
Once the COMBAT PATCHES go on, they never come off whether they can be seen or not. It fuses to the soul through adversity, fear and adrenaline, and no one who has ever worn them with pride, integrity and guts can ever sleep through the `call of the wild` that wafts through bedroom windows in the deep of the night...
We wonder if he knows what he is leaving behind, because we already know.
We know, for example, that after a lifetime of camaraderie that few experience, it will remain as a longing for those past times.
We know in the world of veterans, there is a fellowship which lasts long after the uniforms are hung up in the back of the closet.
We know even if he throws them away, they will be on him with every step and breath that remains in his life.
We also know how the very bearing of the veteran speaks of what he was and in his heart still is.
Because we served, we envy no man on earth.
Keeping a good thought for you today Ray and whispering words of respect for those you knew and loved and respected who did not make it to today. - V
In the words of Gold Star Mothers Monument sculptor, Andrew Chernak: The loss of a child in any circumstance is a grievous blow to a family, but, uniquely so to the mother who bore that child. One group of Mothers that especially stands apart from the norm are the Gold Star Mothers of America's fallen heroes. They are patriotic, loyal, and sympathetic. They understand our nation’s freedom is not to be taken for granted. The grief and loss these women have endured never leaves them, yet the Mothers rise above their pain in tribute to life going on. The Mothers have collectively served millions of hours in volunteer work, personal service in our nation's Veterans hospitals, and to the Veteran and his family in their community. In serving this way, the Mothers have turned their grief into a positive force. If you want to know quiet greatness, spend a little time in the presence of a Gold Star Mother.
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