A date that shall live in infamy.

[GunClick Rick]

My apologies gents~Cain't help bein an old country boy~

[PJ Hardtack]

Rick

I appreciate it when a man "Cowboys Up". Shows character.

The point I was trying to make is that it isn't right to make light of war, especially when your own ass is not on the line. Unfortunately, warfare is one of the things humanity does well, soldiers only being among the first to die.

During our combat mission in Afghanistan, the Canadian Army lost 137 men and one woman, a Captain FOO (Forward Observation Officer) who was highly regarded for her calm voice and steadiness when calling in fire missions.

Since then, another known 136 are known to have attempted or successfully committed suicide, victims of PTSD. Some were vets of earlier missions in Uganda and Sarajevo, serial deployments. That's a lot of families affected in a nation with a small population.

When you consider the manpower of the US Forces by comparison and their staggering losses incurred in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is definitely not a laughing matter.

If a cop is killed in the line of duty, thousands of cops show up for the funeral. "A boy comes home draped in the Maple Leaf" (or Stars & Stripes) and it barely makes the news. It was left to the grateful public to respectfully line the roadways and overpasses with banners and flags to welcome them home along "The Highway of Heroes".

Sorry to have gone off on a tangent with this, but I wore the uniform for 12 years and it cuts me to the bone when I see how are vets are cast aside, the wounded and those whose wounds do not show.

The best to you and yours this coming Christmas!

[GunClick Rick]

One reason i guess that mural i showed ended up way out at the time in the outskirts of the city,it was supposed to go on Main Street and it really ticked off the artist.The land it is on was once an old drive in theater,it was donated by the owner of the land,i used to live across the street from his dad.His name is John Goerge if i remember right.


http://bosagendas.co.tulare.ca.us/MG282636/AS282639/AS282643/AI282666/DO282689/DO_282689.PDF

[cpt dan blodgett]

Tulare CA, every time I venture up 99 stop at the B-17 day or night, hot or cold, wet or dry.  My father who I lost in 92 took off for 56 missions over Europe and North Africa in one.  Shot down on 56th mission (4th on 2nd tour) on a raid on Rostock, he was the engineer and top turret gunner.   They ditched near Wilhelmshafen.

[GunClick Rick]

I go by there every now and then especially when i worked for the road dept.been awhile though.