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Dawn Bernard's avatar

Very well said…and I am passing this on to every veteran I know…which is many!!

I agree with the embarrassment part…my ex is a vet and would always get embarrassed when thanked…so I now instead, will catch a soldier’s eye and give them a huge smile and a nod…I’ve always received the same in return!!

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John Dzurak's avatar

Despite the lurch toward group-think, the experience of any soldier is as individual as the person him/herself. Listen to Dylan's "Masters Of War," or Black Sabbath's "War Pigs," or, Donovan's "Universal Soldier." Whether we "pray" or not, it takes the most sober moment to fully drink in the reality that eventually "we" (the self) are gone and the insanity will continue with the shifting cast of characters ad infinitum. All we can do is act in our role and try and find brief moments with kindred spirits. The skill is recognizing when we are in each other's presence and accept that it might be all we ever get. Most don't ever get a nanosecond of clarity. Hello.

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