Today, in America, we are celebrating Veterans' Day. It's a day to honor the Vets in the many wars.

We have military individuals here at FT - some from the US and some from other countries. All deserve a big "thank you" for their duty to their countries and for their service and dedication.

This appeared in the newspaper today. I thought I'd reprint it here:

Quote:

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A Soldier's Prayer
by Maj. Gen. James B. Middleton










Lord, bless the wives who grieve alone









And comfort the mothers who mourn their own









Give solace to the fathers who lost their sons









On foreign shores and in places unknown.










Lord, strengthen the resolve of we who remain









To see that they did not die in vain.

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It is Armistice Day here today, we honour those who lost their lives in service of their country and wear poppies in rememberance. At 11 am we had 2 minutes silence.

When I saw your title I thought your cat had been poorly and your vet (which is what we call a veterinary surgeon) had made him better! We don't tend to call our ex-service personnel veterans.

Linda - I wear my poppy with pride to remember the fallen, the free life we live now is down to them giving up their lives for us.

Quote:

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They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning.
We will remember them.

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Laurence Binyon (Poems for the Fallen)

Thank you for the tribute, Linda1. I would have flown my flag today, but the wind is at hurricane force and I was afraid of losing it.
We (in the U.S.) celebrate Veteran's Day (formerly Armistice Day) on November 11th because Armistice was declared during WWI on the 11th month of the 11th day and the 11th hour. Armistice Day was later changed to Veteran's Day to honor all of our living and deceased vets.

That is a very nice idea, to commemorate the living as well as the dead. Most of our ceremonies happen on the 2nd Sunday of November but in more recent years we have also had the two minutes silence on the 11th, the silence in shops is starting, very poignant.

I got a nice note from one of our members who is in the military, daredevil99. He's currently serving in the US Navy.

Although we only have Veterans' Day once a year, I do hope that all of our members realize that we're thankful for all of you throughout the year - those of you actively serving, those who are home with us, and those who we do not have with us anymore (Gunslinger, we miss you).

And, I do wish daredevil99's fellow sailors a very happy Thanksgiving next week, wherever they are!

Echoing every word of your post Linda - Wherever you are lads and lasses in the forces - THANK YOU - and here's hoping you return home safely from where ever you are.

I agree. No matter what your opinion on current military deployments throughout the globe, I think we can all be united in one thing - we want our servicemen/women to come home safely, and we thank them for their sacrifices.

Thought it appropriate to bring this up for Dec 7.

Those of you who have fathers, grandfathers or others who served in WWII, tell them we love them and remember them.