US Military

Wasn't going to post this....might get long...off topic...did not want to seem self serving in any way....But I just have to!
Always have held the Service men and women in this country in the highest esteem......Dad was in the Calvary....yes Cavalry in the Coast Guard WWII...I wanted to fly for the Navy....but missed an age cut off by two months........Brother...MP...... Viet Nam....I am grateful for
everyone who has ever served!.....God Bless them!
Morning flight...Chicago-Houston....As I always do...I publicly recognize two Marines on the flight in the pre-pushback "Welcome Aboard" speech......Land in Houston.....Hard to believe...A Chicago lady walking off the jet says to me...and I quote...."Not everyone shares your opinion....I despise the US war machine...I bet you love Rush and John Wayne!.....You offend me.....and I intend to write a letter of complaint to your Company"....well says I....One S in Douglas...and my employee number is-----!
Faith in humanity.....crushed!.....Change planes.....on to Denver...Walking down jetway.....another Serviceman .....Look at name patch......Says I..."Olsen....what is your rank?".......Sergeant comes his reply......says I....."Well Sergeant Olsen......I am honored to have you on my flight today....thank you for your service"...we talked for just a bit....such a gentleman he was!.....Pushback time....over the PA......"Folks.....We are honored to have Sgt. Olsen ridding along with us today.....he is back from deployment...and is heading home with us to Denver....if you see him...thank him, and wish him well.....Pit door closed......I hear applause ......But that is NOT all!!!!
Found out from the Lead Flight Attendant.....halfway to Denver....a businessman in First Class flagged her down at the conclusion of my announcement.....asks her...."where is the young man sitting...do I have time to speak with him"....she replies...."yes....but quickly, we are about to close up".....she takes him to seat 12B...middle seat.....coach.....The Businessman says......"Son.....thank you for your service......you would honor me greatly if you would take my seat up in First....2C".......Olsen graciously declines the kind offer twice......But the man replies...."Get moving son....they won't move the plane without everyone being seated.....and you are in MY seat".......Sgt. Olsen.....upgraded to First Class......Faith in humanity.....restored!.....Gotta love Texas.....and the United States Military!!
 
First, thank you for recognizing our service members.

I'm very familiar w/ the sentiments expressed by the female passenger. (she is no "lady") As a V-N vet, it was common place for the anti-military folks to take out there anger where it did the least good: on the servicemen.

I opposed the Iraq War & believe we should have been out of Afghanistan about 10 years ago.

In that respect, I could be considered (mistakenly) as being "anti-military".

I spent 3 years active duty & 21 in the reserves, all of it in Special Forces. I am by no means "anti-military". What I do have, as do many others in this country, both in the military & as civilians, is the good sense to recognize that the US Congress and the Executive branch got us in a war that we did not need to be in. (Iraq) And, they got us in one that needed to happen (Afghanistan) and did not have the good sense to get out when we had clearly won.

And at no time did the troops shirk their duty under the Constitution. They did exactly what they were ordered to do and did it well.

Soldiers do not get to pick their wars. Congress does. Therein lays the problem.
 
President Eisenhower warned us of the problems associated w/ the "military industrial complex" in 1960.

He called it correctly.

Krupp, IG Farben, Halliburton, Dow.....what's the difference?
Eishenhower Speech
 
(quoted from post at 12:39:28 02/05/14)

Soldiers do not get to pick their wars. Congress does. Therein lays the problem.

Hear hear!

The lady needed to be directed to the idea that she herself has all the power in what the US war machine does and it's soldiers that preserve that power for her.

I suppose you didn't have time for that... Rush ? I didn't understand the connection Rush the band, the movie or the drug ?
 
Ed you have to ignore the Chicago lady. Keep on doing what you are doing.

When I was in uniform, I was sometimes embarrassed by civilians insisting that I take their place in line. But I learned to accept it as their way of thanks.
 
Ed good of you to recognize our military members.

Bruce VA you got that right. I think our "dear leaders" at the time thought that both of the peoples of those countries would jump into democracy and all we would have to do is provide security until they had forced built up and trained. They failed to and are still failing to understand that those peoples don't really understand freedom. Gen Franks during Desert Storm was happy it stopped when it did and was glad he was not ordered to Bagdad. His reason, he saw a long occupation and fighting insurgents.

Rick
 
When ever I hear somebody come down on our service members I tell them if they ever encounter the enemy at their door "call a hippy" Bruce and others hit the problem on the mark its the misuse of these dedicated people that is the problem. Ike was right.
 
Check out the Movie "Taking Chance"- It's about Marine officer (Field Grade) who volunteered for escort duty to take young Marine from his hometown home the last time. It is based of a true story written by a retired Marine LTC. Pretty consistent about who hassled him and who supported/helped him on the mission. Most touching part for me was when the hearse was headed north out of Denver folks would try to pass it, when they'd see the flag on the coffin they pulled in behind the hearse and turned their lights on. Was quite a procession by the time they got to Wyoming.
 
I would just tune that lady out. She's clearly in the vast minority. People hold our service men/women in high regard these days. There will always be some whack job that feels compelled to be contrary. America's problem IMO, is we too often try to cater to the lowest common denominator.
 
Sometimes it takes a little bad to remind us to appreciate even more, the good.
Thanks for taking a stand.
 
Good on ya Ed, and on the business man that cared enough to act.
Let her write her letter, it may get you a raise! ;)
 
As a USAF V-N vet I can only surmise that she was a tree hugger coming from a convention and didn"t get all the splinters removed before her flight.
Salute to you, Ed. Well done!
 
Thank you Ed.
In 1969 , between my two tours of duty in VN, I was traveling with my young family from Richmond To Phily to make Port Call at McGuire AFB to W Germany. At Washington National the personnel from the desk of American Airlines came over to me and and asked, "Sir, would you and your family like to board early", this was back when you walked out onto the tarmac and up the stairs. Yes of course we would, three kids and a pregnant wife in tow. They seated us right behind first class and pulled down a big table and distributed color books and colors to my children. Senator Muskie and his crew got on 2nd. I tried to always travel American after that. Such a nice gesture.
 

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