That was very upsetting especially today.
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Today is Rememberance or Veterans day in many parts of the world. Lith wrote "As for awards, medals and other valors stitched to someones' uniform, the only thing I look for in someone is action. There have been many trimmed uniforms in history but were actually awful people. For instance, Saddam Insane." That was very upsetting. How can you write of a murderer in the same sentence as a true hero. Ranger helped protect the world from nuclear war for 18 years. He gave everything he was, and all he ever got in return was rejection. I've seen that for more nights than I care to think about as nightmares invade his sleep. At some point today he's going to remember what today is, depression will set in and I'm not with him. He's alone with no one to hold him when that happens. I want you, especially Lith to read what follows. Posted on another anime forum one year ago today. Today is veterans day and we haven't been to a veterans day parade for 3 years. After Ranger and the other husbands left for work we girls went to work. Six girls/women (we're girls) Wendy. Holly, Gloria and myself and the two girl guides Robin and Rebecca got ready for veterans parade in Palm Springs. We planned this weeks ago. I picked up Ranger after work and we went to the parade and met everybody else, he didn't have a clue as to what we were up to. T-rangers Chuck, Chris, Don and Tim in rangers uniform and guides Ed, Jeff, Al and Nelani in company uniform, a very nice safari shirt, shorts, wide brim hat with merit badges and timberland boots. Our uniforms also inluded a first aid patch and name badge. Rangers SOP, everybody dresses the same. BTW: Becca does it better than most. The girls including Robin, Becca and I wore the classic summer seifuku, navy blue pleated skirt, white midi blouse and red ties. Hair in pony and twin tails and braids adorned with red, white, and blue ribbons and pom poms (Holly's idea). When the troops paraded down the street they got a contingent of rangers in tan and green, guides in tan and a cheerleading section of schoolgirls. Chuck taught everybody to salute properly. So when the troops came by they saw our formation and when the colours were carried by everybody stood at attention and saluted and the girls cheered. I've never seen or done anything like it. The troops loved our group you could really tell. All the services were there as well as the ROTC units and high and jr. high school bands. The parade started with a flyover of WWII aircraft from the air museum and then a B-2 Stealth Bomber flew over, it was so hugh and quiet and almost invisible. Then the parade with tanks, Humvees and vehicles that did all sorts of things crewed by very young men and women; children really. They looked like very dangerous and capable children. One young marine sgt who wore a Ghili (snipers camoflauge) suit carried a bigger .50 calibre rifle than Rangers Barrett. He told me it was also made by Barret and cost about $11,000. It also had more accuracy even though they fired the same round, the .50 cal BMG machine gun round. There was a concert by the Marine band afterwards with a lot of seinor officers, a swearing in ceremony of new soliders and airman and that's when I got the biggest surprise I could think of. Ranger recited the oath of a soldier along with the general as he administered it. He still knows the oath after all of these years. The patriotic music was amazing and, exciting, I've never felt the way I did today. Ranger and the others held a salute all through the national anthem and jumped and cheered with rest. Oh my goodness! Shirley Temple always said that. I really can't put it into words. We walked around looking at the tanks. Ieven ooked into a tank gun barrel, I could put my arm in it. By the time we got home we were pretty tired but we had a lot of fun. Then we heard the news of two marines, friends since childhood and in the same unit. On of them told his sister before deployment that nothing would happen because his friend was there. They were both killed on patrol last week and were laid to rest today beside each other. Ranger started to cry about this and is now sitting here curled next to me very quiet and subdude. He says, and he is still upset and angry over the deaths of these two marines, He doesn't care how you feel about the war, these kids are your friends, neighbors even classmates and not to support them 100% is the most unpatriotic thing he can think of. Still it was a great feeling being there as we were (cosplay?) and cheering our young men. Ranger once told me that when he returned from Vietnam he attended a Veterans Day parade in San Francisco and was arrested after being stoned with rocks by the crowd. I think today he was repaid in part for the treatment he got. It was not easy to get him to let me say this. If you are curious read on. If not skip it. Its Rangers war record. Ranger was in Vietnam for two years flying F4-E and G Phantoms II fighters. He flew 183 missions, 75 over North Vietnam and was shot down three times. He lost 90% of the friends he had in his first three months there. Of his original squadron 37 returned and 17 are still living. He holds three Purple Hearts, Meritorious service medal, Medal of Valor, Airmans Medal with bronze cluster and a Bronze Star with cluster. He was awarded the Bronze star for pulling an airman from a burning plane. I've seen the photographs taken of the incident and one of them I threw away. A picture of him holding a burning airman his own uniform smoking from the fire with a look on his face that I won't describe but is burned into my mind even though I only saw that picture once. Ranger and I just had an argument over that picture. He wanted to keep it. I don't know why, however I did covince him that throwing it away was best. I threw that away a very long time ago. *takes a break* I just got a xanax into him and he's in the shower. That is the nightmare I have refered to on occasion that and one other, the day he watched seven of his friends die in front of him when a truck he had been in a moment before was hit by a rocket or shell. He still has guilt over that and he knows he shouldn't 39 years later. There are others but those are the worst. Today is veterans day. A day all Americans should honour those that defend the homeland and your freedom. And even though it's early 9:00pm pst I think it's time for bed. *nudge nudge wink wink* and considering I got up at 3:00 this morning again, it's a good idea. end This week is rememberance/Veterans day all over the world. We all owe them all something no matter how we feel. Now I'm lonely and depressed. ![]() |
Re: That was very upsetting especially today.
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by S-a-c-h-i-e-l
on 2005-11-11 22:04:03
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Oh, man, Ranger has some totally 1337 skills! I'll honor him today, and pray for his depression to subside. I never knew that Ranger was so cool. He must have been through heck and back in those wars. I'm sorry for not being of too much help, but I'll help in any way I can. |
Re: That was very upsetting especially today.
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I salute the people who know what they believe in and fight for it. |
Re: That was very upsetting especially today.
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Humbly, I ask for forgiveness, but I'd also say I wouldn't take that back. I believe no matter what day it is, it is always a day to remember that a uniform doesn't make the man. Honestly, I'd salute a person who has valor stitched to them, but I'd remember I still don't know who they are and question what kind of person they are. I commend Ranger, even though he doesn't need it from anyone, for all the sacrife he's given. |
Re: That was very upsetting especially today.
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by desertranger
on 2005-11-15 13:02:18
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I guess I missed this one. Lith, your forgiven. *hug* Rin does that, so do I. S-a-c-h-i-e-l wrote "Oh, man, Ranger has some totally 1337 skills! I'll honor him today, and pray for his depression to subside. I never knew that Ranger was so cool." I remember last year. And Rin was right I did get depressed last friday. I'm not sure what 1337 means but thanks anyway. Try to understand, and I appreciate your attitude of me being cool. It's not a question of being cool, it was my life, I wanted to do it. I wanted to fly in the AF since I was 14. I washed planes at the airport fo flying lessons and more. It was never about valor or ribbons and medals it was about flying millions of dollars of aircraft pushed by thousands of pounds of thrust. I can't fly alot anymore and I miss it. Just too damned expensive right now. Almost $400USD to fill the plane. Have I said life can be a novel or a textbook. That's your choice. Ours is a novel of adventure love and romance. Even when I'm writing a traffic citation. |
Re: That was very upsetting especially today.
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by S-a-c-h-i-e-l
on 2005-11-15 14:14:10
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I thought everyone knew what 1337 and 5ki11z0rz and stuff was... Well, *ahem*: 1337 = LEET = elite 5ki11z0rz = Skill-zorz = skills Ones can be L's or I's, fives are S's, zeroes are O's, zorz makes something sound cool ^_^ threes are E's, etc. |
Re: That was very upsetting especially today.
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Please Lith don't be too upset, you didn't know. ![]() |