Happy Veterans Day 2008

[tessler]

To all you Veterans of the BMW MOA.

Thank you.

http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/images/thumb78.jpghttp://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/images/thumb83.jpghttp://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/images/thumb84.jpg
http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/images/thumb88.jpghttp://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/images/thumb97.jpghttp://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/images/thumb98.jpg

[Muriel]

Yes, Thank You to all who served, as well as to the families and friends who supported the dedicated troops over our country's history. You are appreciated much more than is often realized.

Best,
Muriel

[GregFeeler]

Yes - thanks. That's such a small word it's totally inadequate to express my gratitude to those who have sacrificed - some ultimately. But, perhaps it can make up the difference in sincerity. :usa

[Greenwald]

Yes, Thank You to all who served, as well as to the families and friends who supported the dedicated troops over our country's history. You are appreciated much more than is often realized.

Best,
Muriel

Could not have said it better.

But it bares repeating....Thank You.

[mrich12000]

We are still at the brink and we are in close watch of that horizon. Today we have Friends and others in theater, I say to them stay safe we are thinking of you all on this 90th anniversary of the signing of armistice in Europe. :usa :ca :german :wave
In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Inspiration for the Poem
On 2 May, 1915, in the second week of fighting during the Second Battle of Ypres Lieutenant Alexis Helmer was killed by a German artillery shell. He was a friend of the Canadian military doctor Major John McCrae. It is believed that John began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields' that evening.

[Motor31]

This sig line I borrowed from the Patriot Guard site sums it up for me. Unfortunately I'm not allowed to use it here.

DEFINITION OF A VETERAN
A Veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life."
Author Unknown

To all of my Brothers and Sisters in Arms Thanks for serving then and now.
:usa

[kgadley01]

Your welcome... Kenny G. Vietnam Vet. :bikes

[Sue]

A moment to remember & reflect.
Thank you to all who serve - and have served.
http://www.beemerhill.com/Veterans_day.JPG

[ExecDir]

The BMW MOA membership includes many Vets. I'd like to add my thanks to my fellow Veterans. I was traveling this past summer and saw a gentleman at the airport wearing a cap indicating that he was a Veteran of WWII, Korea and Viet Nam. There are only a few of those hero's still among us. Let's say a little prayer of thanks to those like him and the thousands that have defended our freedom!

Ray Zimmerman
COL(R),USA, FA

[rocketman]

my thoughts from last year....

http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=22333&highlight=Heroes

RM

[Statdawg]

This sig line I borrowed from the Patriot Guard site sums it up for me. Unfortunately I'm not allowed to use it here.

DEFINITION OF A VETERAN
A Veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life."
Author Unknown

To all of my Brothers and Sisters in Arms Thanks for serving then and now.
:usa + 1, Well said Motor31 and thank you for your serve to our country. But also remember that our MOA is filled with Canadian and British veterans and our 11th hour is theirs to share. In the generations before us they fought months to years before the US's storied interaction so hats off to them. Today I honor my Canadian cousin Matthew who died in Afghanistan in 2007 while serving along coalition forces. :ca

[129654]

Freedom and security are obtained only through the selfless sacrifice of those who protect us. Words cannot convey our gratitude enough . . . to all Veteran's past and present and those currently serving, thank you.

:ca :usa

[JK]

Steph and I spent the day visiting the VA Nursing Home in Denver. Of all the guys we met and talked to, Art, a retired Marine E-8 from Pueblo, CO stood out. In his early 80s, Art had served in WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam.

In the course of our conversation, we found out we had two mutual acquaintances in common. The first was Ed McMahon. The second was William Crawford and his wife Eileen.

Ed had served a Quarter Master in one of Art's units and was one hell of a guy to party with, even though he was an officer. McMahon had also hosted Steph as a StarSearch Spokesmodel. Bill was active in Veteran affairs as a Medal of Honor winner. I first met him when he was a janitor at the Air Force Academy. Years later, we became close friends as his wife, Eileen gave my wife and kids piano lessons. They lived in Palmer Lake and were close friends with Art and his wife, before she passed away six years ago. Bill passed away a couple of years ago, and Eileen now lives in a nursing home with our cat, Buddy. Art retold us the story of how Bill had captured 90 Germans during the Italian campaign, and how a few months later Crawford had been himself been captured by the Germans. A POW until the end of the war, Bill was down to 100 lbs when he was finally released.

Once an avid hunter and fisherman, Art has lost one foot and a bunch of toes to diabetes. During his military service, Art never even received a scratch. His only son is in the process of moving from Montana to New Mexico. An artist with four kids, he last saw his Dad two years ago. After retiring from the Marines, Art returned to Pueblo to become a teacher to special needs kids in the local school system.

Anyway, Art told us war stories about his role in the battles of Guadalcanal and Inchon. We ended our day there by Steph giving him a warm wet one that brought tears to all of our eyes.

All said and done, we did our best to say a personal thanks to Art and the rest of his Buddies.

J.K. :wow

[JK]

+ 1, Well said Motor31 and thank you for your serve to our country. But also remember that our MOA is filled with Canadian and British veterans and our 11th hour is theirs to share. In the generations before us they fought months to years before the US's storied interaction so hats off to them. Today I honor my Canadian cousin Matthew who died in Afghanistan in 2007 while serving along coalition forces. :ca

Our sympathy and solace to Matt's wife and family for their loss and sacrifice.

J.K. :wow

[Muriel]

I'm sorry for Matt's loss - and other's who have gone before and after him.

One of my personal heros is Chad Colley. I knew Chad when he was a senior at North Georgia State and later a distinguished military grad - he is the son of friends. I attended his wedding, and watched as he. dressed in his dress blues with bright new lieutenant's bars on it, drove off on his honeymoon in a new Corvette with a beautiful new bride. He seemed to have everything.

He was attached to the 101st Airborne out of Ft Campbell and was deployed to Vietnam. Not that long after he stepped on a claymore mine, losing his left leg at the hip, his right leg around the knee and his left hand. He was given up for dead - but survived. He went on to live a "normal" life. He learned to drive his own car, fly his own plane, had a couple children, ran for State Legislature in Arkansas, was a competitive downhill skier, and became head of the Disabled American Vets. I saw him give a speech at the Republican National Convention many years ago. He was one vet who was welcomed back by his home town. If memory serves me correctly, they bought him a house. He had the support of his entire family as well as the local people. Truly a hero. And there are many more people who have had similar experiences and have sacrificed more than most of us will ever know.

For us they paid the price.

Best,
Muriel

[Motor31]

Statdog,

No insult or slight was intended to our Canadian allies and friends. It was simply an oversight on my part and the fault is mine. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

May your cousin rest in honored peace and his family's grief be tempered over time.
:ca :usa

[r11rs94]

Thank you all. Iraq April 03 - April 04 :usa