“War is Hell”. There’s no other way to describe being in an armed conflict. It’s not pretty, it’s not clean and it scars not just people, but entire nations. Though this year’s Veteran’s Day fell on a Sunday, and today being Monday, I thought to myself, “Is our gratitude as a country for service rendered relegated to just one day”? “Do we go another year before we are, for lack of a better word, “forced” to recognize both our combatants and non-combatants that serve, or have served?” “Shouldn’t EVERY day be Veteran’s Day?”
For hundreds of thousands of families across America it is. Children wake up every morning knowing that their Mom, or Dad isn’t going to be there to make them breakfast. Those same children go to bed every every night knowing that they still have to wait to be tucked in by their soldier Mom, or Dad who is away from their family in order to protect ours. Husbands and wives have to carry on with their daily routine as if their lives were actually normal. Their Veteran’s Day is every day.
Now imagine when combat veterans come back from one of their many duty assignments. When Vietnam vets came back, they were spit on and called names all because they served their country. Whether they agreed with the politics behind the war efforts or not, they were all treated the same, as pariahs. That is unforgivable. Returning Vets today certainly get a better homecoming than they did in Vietnam, maybe it’s because of the shame, maybe it’s because we understand what today’s soldier has to face, but it certainly still isn’t the type of homecoming and respect they deserve. As I said before, EVERY day should be Veteran’s Day.
War changes people, there’s no mincing words here. Watch these videos and maybe you’ll get a glimpse of what it’s like to try to return to civilian life after being in combat.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHyH-h1mBf4
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-DXovx_szA&feature=relmfu
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ABIhzD_4B0&feature=relmfu
If you know a veteran, thank them everyday for their service. Honoring our soldiers both past and present shouldn’t just be relegated to one day of barbecues, it should reside somewhere in your mind at all times. Never forget that those that came before you, the ones that are there right now and and future combatants are fighting because they love this Country. They fight so your children won’t have to. They deserve a “Thank You”. So, PPL Motorhomes wants to send the warmest and most genuine “THANK YOU” we can to all of those who have volunteered to defend America and others around the world without thinking about themselves first…THANK YOU…THANK YOU…THANK YOU!