Veteran' Day 11-11-11

I never anticipated, all those 43 years ago, that today I would be dedicating much of my life to vets. This effort to see, record, and honor Vietnam memorials started out about me and began many years after trying to forget, ignore and act as if 'Nam had never happened. Driven by whatever I was still carrying around from 'Nam, I began searching out these sites and posting them and discovered that I was actually helping other vets. I have heard from many, from all over the world, that they have benefited from the same realization that I had; that America had found a way to to say, "Hey guys, we didn't really mean all that stuff we said" and finally, long over due, "Welcome Home" I spent part of this trip on Ft. Bragg and I can't help but wonder as I think about all these young soldiers I saw, what will their lives be like 43 years from now? How will they be remembered and honored? What struggles will they have faced? What will we as Americans have done to help them through their trials? So, with that in mind, to all my brothers and sisters who made it back, let's be sure we do not abandon them, as we were abandoned and, also, be sure to take a moment to remember and honor those who did not make it home with us.

These pics are of the Moving Wall which was in Veteran's Park in Fayetteville as part of their Vietnam Veteran's Welcome Home events this week. I usually try to take pictures without people in them, but I really liked these, especially the two guys finding a name on The Wall.

Veteran's Day 2011/ 11-11-11