Veteran's Day, 2013

To honor the brave men and women who served to protect our country here are two outstanding images.

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JimboJones2456, "VeteransDay," DeviantART

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koopastar, "A Soldier's Anguish," deviantART

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A collection of images related to Veteran's Day can be found at YouTheDesigner's Tribute to Our Unsung Heroes.

Our returning veterans have a hard time adjusting to 'normal' daily life.  Seems to me a large part of it is the loss of camaraderie and of the sense of purpose military service gives.  Team Rubicon offers a renewed sense of purpose.  A PBS article, Coming Home, links to a wealth of resources for the returning soldier, some of them governmental, some of them not.

A crisis line is available.

Soldier, you are remembered and valued.

-- Marge

A Soldier's Creed

When reciting the Soldier's Creed, Soldiers stand at attention.

U.S. Soldier's Creed

I am an American Soldier.

I am a Warrior and a member of a team.

I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.

I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier.

Soldiers commonly shout hooah at the conclusion of the Soldier's Creed, but it is not included in the creed itself.

The image at the top of this post is associated with a story by Marcus Eriksen, titled "My Angel in the Desert: One Soldier's Story of War."  Take time to read it when you can.

-- Marge