Some veterans bear visable signs of their service, a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry evidence inside them, a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg, or perhaps another sort of inner steel.
The soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity. Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell a vet just by looking.
WHAT IS A VET?
He is the cop on the beat who spent 6 months in Saudi Arabi sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel.
He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.
She or he is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for 2 solid years in Da Nang.
He is the POW who went away one person and came back another...
Or didn't come back AT ALL.
He is the Quantico Drill Instructor who has never seen combat but has saved countless lives by training slouchy, no account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each others backs.
He is the parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosethetic hand.
He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.
He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetary must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.
He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket... palsied now and aggravatingly slow.. who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.
He is the ordinary, and yet extraordinary human being...
a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.
He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.
So remember, each time you see someone who served Our Country...
just lean over and say "Thank You".
That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.
Two little words that mean a lot..."Thank You".
Remember that each November 11th is Veteran's Day and we should each feel pride in honoring our Veterans.
World War II 
Iraq War 
The pattern formed by these "decoys" are how they got their name... It's truly awesome!
Because maneuvers are usually in remote areas and over water,
the general public does not get to see these exercises.
2nd~
4th~
(It may take a few seconds to download, but worth the wait!)
Left a boy, came back a man, still many just don't understand...about the reasons we are free.
I can't forget the look in his eyes, or the tears he cried as he said these words to me.
"All gave some and some gave all"
Some stood through for the red, white and blue,and some had to fall.
And if you ever think of me, think of all your liberties, and recall Some gave all.
Now, Sandy Cane is no longer here...But his words are oh so clear as they echo throughout our land.
and all his friends who gave us all, who stood the ground and took the fall to help their fellow man.
Love your country and live with pride, and don't forget those who died. America, can't you see...
"All gave some and some gave all"
Some stood through for the red, white and blue,and some had to fall.
And if you ever think of me, think of all your liberties, and recall, yes recall..Some gave all.....Some gave all.
