Veterans Day...

As a fellow USAF vet, all I can do is echo Frank's sentiments for all those who have and are currently serving under the colors of this great nation. 

All of us owe a debt of gratitude to these men and women that can never be repaid.

The flag flying in front of my home will get a perfect salute when I walk out in the morning.

As a naturalized citizen of the US, thank you to all that served to keep this country the beacon of freedom.  Your service to defend the ideals of this nation has allowed me to flurish in ways i could never have done in my place of birth.

A personal thank you to Frank and your family that served.

Route62 - You and the other people that have come to the USA and become citizens tend to appreciate this country way more than some who are born here.  I suspect that is because they never see the other side of the world as some of us do, and have.

Proud to have you among us.

I literally spent my adult life as a soldier. I joined Army ROTC while in college at the age of 18, liked it and joined my hometown National Guard unit when I was 19. Received my commission at 22 and entered active duty shortly afterwards. I spent the next 24+ years in the Army until I retired at the age of 47.

I've been retired for six years now, but being a soldier for such a long period of time is too ingrained into the fiber of my being to do anything but think like a soldier and carry myself as such.

My sincere thanks and respect to all veterans for their service. My flag will be out first thing in the morning.

I am not a veteran, but as PJ said, sincere thanks and respect to all veterans for their service.

My father was a veteran:

Sgt Munk by Dwayne Munk, on Flickr

Sgt. Edward Munk  34th Bomber Group, Eighth Air Force

He passed in 2009. 

I miss you, Dad.

Thank you all so much for your input. In these trying times it does my heart good to hear from you all.

My Father was a Air Corps veteran and served before and during WWII.  He was supposed to get out on 8 Dec. 1941.  Needles to say, that didn't happen.

I'm also a Air Force veteran, drafted right out of high school in 1970 and chose the A.F.  I did two tours during VIetnam, met my wife at Littlerock A.F.B. (she was a C-130 crew chief). 

My flag in out at alll times and lit at night.  It only comes down for severe weather.

Lots of USAF guys here- makes sense, since airplanes seem to be biggest forum.  Unlike many who gave up modeling during time in service, I never stopped building in college and in AF.  Even when I went TDY, all the bases I went to then had hobby shops.  Built mostly flying models then.  Didn't concentrate on shelf scale till I moved to Minnesota- really short flying season unless you are a native and willing to fly your models in zero temps.  I'm not!  Anyway, I was always thankful to AF for their support for modeling.

In this day and age being a vet is easier, we have access to so many avenues for help that at times it can be overwhelming. As some of y'all have noticed I can be kinda winded so bear with me.

  I would like to take this opportunity to thank every VET, however my brothers and sisters who served in Vietnam are the ones I owe my deepest gratitude to. By that I mean you men and women went through hell in the service of our country and returned to a country that ignored you. I want to say THANK YOU for your diligence and perseverance to ensure that WOULD NOT happen to another Vet ever again. Without you my return from service could have been the same as yours. Thank you brothers and sisters THANK YOU! 

Petty Officer 3rd Class (AE) Stevens, ODS/S United States Navy.

 Hmmm;

 As I sit here looking at my medals and those of others I wonder sometimes if it was all worth it . Thing is , anything is worth the cost for Freedom . This unquantifiable thing known as freedom has cost me two of my younger siblings .

 I guess I think this way because I am so  much older and have seen so much and of course the thought why not me instead of them . To all veterans Gone and Here this country owes so much .We better not forget that ! ! 

 We have so much more support than when I returned from " The Nam " But , I did my duty to the best of my ability in two different uniforms . One from a distance ( Navy ) and one close up and personal ( U.S.M.C. )  They did give us some succor over the years . Thank You All . Vets and Non Vets . T.B.

I would like to thank my fellow Vets for their service. I did a four year tour in the Army. And for those that missed out on serving...thank you for your support, and great words.

Thank you all for your service, past and present. 

My brother came out of LaSalle College R.O.T.C as a 2nd Lieutenant. Retired from Army Intelligence 20 years later as a Captain with after effects of Agent Orange in Nam. He served the next 20 years as the P.A.O. of Lemoore Naval Air Station. My nephew is currently in the marines and studying to be a J.A.G. lawyer while serving as a weapons instructor.  We flew the flag today that was used for the burial of one of my two uncles who served in WWII. I'm one proud brother, uncle and nephew.

Jim  

Don Stauffer

Lots of USAF guys here- makes sense, since airplanes seem to be biggest forum.  Unlike many who gave up modeling during time in service, I never stopped building in college and in AF.  Even when I went TDY, all the bases I went to then had hobby shops.  Built mostly flying models then.  Didn't concentrate on shelf scale till I moved to Minnesota- really short flying season unless you are a native and willing to fly your models in zero temps.  I'm not!  Anyway, I was always thankful to AF for their support for modeling.

 

 

Then when I went into the Army, I didn't bring any stuff to Fort Knox. Ended up buying some stuff to work on while here. Then brought stuff to Germany with me, and then gave up trying to give up the hobby.

I even configured a travel toolbox (small Walmart toolbox) that I would put a 1/72 scale armor kit in with some basic Testors supplies. Sometimes I would bring individual track links from a bigger kit to work on the more tedious tasks.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their Veterans Day stories.