Veterans Day

The following is a post that I first published in 2013. I saw some Facebook post that were the reason I wrote this 4 years ago.

Veterans Day is an official US holiday and is observed on November 11^th. It is a day to honor those who have served in the armed services.

This day is not to be confused with Memorial Day, which is a day of remembering the men and women who gave their lives while serving.

One thing that I do not like to hear is when people say “Happy Veterans Day”.

Frank Parkinson

My father, Frank Parkinson, was in the Army during the Korean War. He never talked about what happened and evaded or changed the subject when questioned.

After Dad passed away, I learned that he was involved in hand to hand combat. The fighting was so fierce that he had to use a shovel to kill a North Korean solider. I can’t imagine what he experienced during those moments. I now know he thought about this every day.

Dad was a Christian. He read the Bible every day. I hope that he has found peace in heaven.

So when hear the words “Happy Veterans Day” I cringe and think about what someone who has experienced the horrors of war, who can’t have a day pass without remembering, who have a lifetime of issues because of what happened to them in a land far away, what goes through their mind.

So, please, please, honor those who have served. Say thanks or buy them a meal. Don’t say “Happy” and force them to remember the unspeakable memories that they think about every day.