Sunday Lunch Dining Alone
As a Veteran myself, I make certain that the children in our group always appreciate and pay respect to the veterans who have served our country.
Anytime we encounter a veteran wearing a service cap, I have them line up and each tell that veteran “ Thank you for your service “ … even when I have 15 to 20 such children in a group. The veterans who receive such thanks from the children always, always, always are much appreciative and many times choke up.
Recently we were in a Braums for lunch and I saw a Viet Nam veteran with his cap dining alone. After the children did their “ thank you’s “, I made a point of continuing to try to engage him in conversation until he did finally open up.
He did two tours in Viet Nam… when he came of age, he enlisted versus being drafted…. due to what he experienced there, he had a severe case of PTSD as well as medical problems from Agent Orange that has required him to go through 19 operations fighting the resultant cancer. Very typically, the US Government, in complete consistency, fought his claims for Agent Orange disability for over 15 years.
Dining alone that Sunday afternoon, the PTSD and the Agent Orange has destroyed any family ties he might have had over the years. I am glad that he had retained the pride in the honorable choice he made those many years ago and wears his Viet Nam Veteran cap proudly. He and our fellow veterans paid the rent for our generation… we often look at the others as simple squatters.
I am very glad that current military servicemen receive the respect and honor not given to our generation of servicemen and do all I can to make sure the children under my influence will always be aware that freedom is never free and to honor those who pay the tab.