Thank You, Veterans!

I, like many others, have a true and great appreciation for our country's military servicemen. I admire them for their bravery and self-sacrifice that I aspire to possess. I could not know, it seems, though, unless I served myself.

Thoughts to carry with you on this Veterans' Day Weekend and throughout life:

If you can read, thank a teacher. If you can read in English, thank a soldier.
If there were no soldiers, you might be reading in German right now.

Freedom isn't free.

All gave some. Some gave all.

Freedom has a price the protected will never know.

The heart of this country: its patriots.
The backbone of this country: its patriots.
The substance of this country: its patriots.*

It's the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us freedom to demonstrate.
It's the soldier, not the reporter, who gives us freedom of the press.
It's the soldier, not the poet, who's given us freedom of speech.
It's the soldier who serves under the flag who defends the protester's right to burn the flag.
Isn't it time now to demonstrate that we support our troops?
Were it not for the brave, there would be no land of the free.

It is the American soldier who gives you the right to be "anti-America" and "anti-soldiers"--unpatriotic and anti-military.*

Let us never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
Let all know that freedom comes at a great sacrifice.

We should want them on that wall because we NEED them on that wall. Let us demonstrate to them that we SUPPORT them and LOVE them on that wall.*

Sacrifice does not diminish with time past: it gets better like wine.
Sacrifice does not need time to mature, however: it's precious immediately.*

They fight so that we may live in peace; they suffer imprisonment and torture so that we may live in freedom; they risk their present and future mental health so that we may have peace of mind; they lay down their lives so that we may LIVE.*

So that the Eagle of Freedom may fly in "spacious skies," they fly in hostile environments. So that the country may stretch safely from Sea to Shining Sea, they sail, submarine, and battle on the seas. So that America might remain "The Beautiful," they protect it in all conditions on land.*

If "there is no greater love than this, that one lay down his life for his friends," is not laying down one's life for country also a great love?*

"I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I WON'T FORGET THE MEN WHO DIED, WHO GAVE THAT RIGHT TO ME. AND I GLADLY STAND UP, NEXT TO YOU, AND DEFEND HER STILL TODAY. CAUSE THERE AIN'T NO DOUBT I LOVE THIS LAND....GOD BLESS THE U.S.A." ("God Bless the U.S.A.," By: Lee Greenwood)


Thank you, veterans, for going from "the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli" for me, my and my country's freedom. (U.S. Marines)
Thank you, veterans, for going "over hill, over dale," being the "first to fight for the right." (U.S. Army)
Thank you, veterans, for going "off into the wild blue yonder, climbing high into the sun," willing to "go down in flame." (U.S. Air Force)
Thank you, veterans, for standing firm, never changing your course. (U.S. Navy) Thank you, veterans, for protecting our coasts, "from Aztec shore to Artic zone, to Europe and Far East." (Coast Guard)
Thank you, veterans, for fighting on land, sea, and air.
Thank you, veterans, for dying on land, sea, and air.
Thank you, veterans, for fighting and defending home and abroad.
Thank you, veterans, for dying home and abroad.
Thank you, veterans. *

note: Paragraphs denoted with a * is original--or mostly original--by Kingdom Advancer. Paragraphs without a * is either slightly adapted by Kingdom Advancer or not original. This is not plagiarism. The source of all these quotes and one-liners just aren't known to Kingdom Advancer at this time.

~Kingdom Advancer

p.s. The Marines and Air Force both have recently been honored in new ways. I'll try to add links to those stories soon.

p.s.s. I often welcome comments and additions. This post is no different. If you have a good line or paragraph to add to these, please do.

God bless America....Land that I love...Stand beside her, and guide her, through the night with a light from above. From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans, white with foam! God bless America, my home sweet home. ("God Bless America," originally written by: Irving Berlin)