- We left home as teenagers or in our early twenties for an unknown adventure.
- We loved our country enough to defend it and protect it with our own lives.
- We said goodbye to friends and family and everything we knew.
- We learned the basics and then we scattered in the wind to the far corners of the Earth.
- We found new friends and new family.
- We became brothers and sisters regardless of color, race or creed.
- We had plenty of good times, and plenty of bad times.
- We didn’t get enough sleep.
- We smoked and drank too much.
- We picked up both good and bad habits.
- We worked hard and played harder.
- We didn’t earn a great wage.
- We experienced the happiness of mail call and the sadness of missing important events.
- We didn’t know when, or even if, we were ever going to see home again.
- We grew up fast, and yet somehow, we never grew up at all.
- We fought for our freedom, as well as the freedom of others.
- Some of us saw actual combat, and some of us didn’t.
- Some of us saw the world, and some of us didn’t.
- Some of us dealt with physical warfare, most of us dealt with psychological warfare.
- We have seen and experienced and dealt with things that we can’t fully describe or explain, as not all of our sacrifices were physical.
- We participated in time honored ceremonies and rituals with each other, strengthening our bonds and camaraderie.
- We counted on each other to get our job done and sometimes to survive it at all.
- We have dealt with victory and tragedy.
- We have celebrated and mourned.
- We lost a few along the way.
- When our adventure was over, some of us went back home, some of us started somewhere new and some of us never came home at all.
- We have told amazing and hilarious stories of our exploits and adventures.
- We share an unspoken bond with each other, that most people don’t experience, and few will understand.
- We speak highly of our own branch of service, and poke fun at the other branches.
- We know however, that, if needed, we will be there for our brothers and sisters and stand together as one, in a heartbeat.
- Being a Veteran is something that had to be earned, and it can never be taken away.
- It has no monetary value, but at the same time it is a priceless gift.
- People see a Veteran and they thank them for their service.
- When we see each other, we give that little upwards head nod, or a slight smile, knowing that we have shared and experienced things that most people have not.
- So, from myself to the rest of the veterans out there, I commend and thank you for all that you have done and sacrificed for your country.
- Try to remember the good times and make peace with the bad times.
- Share your stories.
- But most importantly, stand tall and proud, for you have earned the right to be called a Veteran.
Treadstone 71 – Veteran Owned
