Veterans Day: A Day of Remembrance & Thanks

    Today we remember the sacrifices and lives of those who have served our country in times of war and peace to keep us free. I joined the Air Force in 1962, trained at Keesler AFB, sat on a mountaintop in eastern Turkey near the Russian border for two years with the AF Security Service. My last two years were with SAC at Walker AFB in Roswell, New Mexico working in Combat Intelligence. I learned and enjoyed my time in the service but I really did't have to sacrifice much.

    Many veterans who come though my office looking for help and asking questions, have seen and endured things I can't imagine. My county in central Indiana is not very large but some of their stories could become movie scripts.

    How about the B25 belly gunner who's plane flew 35 missions over Germany. On their third or fourth mission, his canopy was shot away and he hung under the plane during the bomb run and back. On the return to their base in England, he pulled up on his harness and pulling his legs to his chest, the plane landed with his butt just inches off the runway.

    Or the vet who decided to beat the draft and join the Navy during Vietnam. He beat the draft and ended up on a swift boat patrolling rivers and channels in Vietnam. "We would go out on the rivers and you could hear the bullets pinging off the side of the boat everyday." he told me in my office.

    The WWII vet who spent his time in the Pacific hopping from island to island tagging bodies as they were brought to the beach from the battle field. He wanted help with PTSD.

    All these vets, came home, went to work and raised their families. They are to be honored.