www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Thanks to all my brothers in arm, active and retired.

BND

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Dip me in chocolate and throw me to the lesbians

Well, now I feel a little better. Sometimes you give thanks to the anonymous faces out there and forget ones close to home. Totally let Veteran's Day go by without saying something to a friend here in town. Saw him yesterday and made up for it. Flew Apache (I think) helicopters in Afghanistan. Made me think of my dad, RIP, who flew the Hump in WWII. First cousin, who is a retired Colonel in the army, who was a Ranger and served in Vietnam. My late uncle, who was a retired Colonel in the Air Force. Never served myself, but it tears me up everytime you have to see one of those funerals or tributes on TV. They just had one on the morning show on CBS. When we first went into Iraq, I tried to read the names of all the deceased until it just got out of hand... It personalizes it a little. When it is just numbers it doesn't seem like real people dying, but more like a score. Sometime when you are bored, just google for fallen soldiers and read the story of one person who lost their lives.

I had a cousin with a family history web site and on comments under my brother who died in Vietnam, we both served, she said he died for nothing
in war that was wrong. I replied. We are soldiers we do ask why, we do not decide, we just serve, so please never say we wasted our lives. We do not decide when, we only decide that we will serve and we will serve with honor, we are not politicians, we are soldiers.

Didn't get to watch that special, but having been through Bangor a few times, I can tell you those people are awesome. Doesn't matter what time your flight comes in, they are there. I feel a little humbled sometimes though, especially with the Vietnam Vets who are there, they are the real heroes, they never got a welcome home like that.

The good news is that PBS repeats special shows and even makes them available for purchase on DVD. Libraries frequently have them and maybe even your local post of VFW/ American Legion/ other vets organization. But yes, the folks of Bangor are bedrock patriots. No joke.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

I was actually thinking about thanking you guys for getting me through a really tedious and occasionally frightening deployment to Kuwait and Iraq. CRT helped me keep my sanity, so thanks to all you guys!!! The good news is that I am headed to Qatar for the next 14 months and everything we all crave is available there. CHEERS!!!

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“Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” And we are the guys that keep them in Eggs & Grits