Today is Veterans Day.  According to the Veterans Administration, there are an estimated 23.4 million living veterans in the United States of America.  Of that population, some 17.4 million veterans served during wartime including the last living U.S. veteran of World War I, Frank Buckles. 

As the official poster on the left says, Veterans Day is the day to honor all who served.  Many people seem to confuse today's holiday with Memorial Day which is intended to honor those that have died during the course of their military service to the country.  You probably know someone in your family, or a co-worker, or a neighbor who is a military veteran.  Today is the day to thank them for their service. 

Most of the retirees wintering here in Florida served in military service because of the military draft.  However, many volunteered to serve their country during the draft.  There are military veterans from all branches of the service who served in World War II, Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

One neighbor who lived across the street from me was career military.  He retired as a First Sergeant.  He has sinced moved, but I remember seeing his 82nd Airborne flag proudly flying everyday when he was here.  I just called him "Top."

Then earlier this year, I noticed the other neighbor next to him getting up really early and leaving each morning wearing Navy dress whites.  He was driving to the  nearby Florida national cemetery that I visited on Memorial Day.  He was part of a military honor group that would give one last honor to the veteran being buried there.

Gulf War 3.0

Today, there are men and women currently deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other hostile areas around the globe.  Veterans serving in combat return home with a number of serious issues with which they and their families must contend. 

The transition to civilian life can be difficult notwithstanding any of the physical or mental injuries these combat veterans may have to endure.  Substance abuse, PTSD, homelessness and suicide are veterans issues the American public haven't seen since the Vietnam era.

I still say to people, "Whether you feel you are from a red state or blue state politically, keep some military green in your heart for the troops serving."  I support the work of Veterans for Common Sense who has been a watchdog of the Veterans Administration and an advocate for all military veterans.

Another veterans group, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), has just recently developed a social networking site at communityofveterans.org which also has useful information and provides fellowship for their members.

You may have seen the founder and executive director of IAVA, Paul Rieckhoff, giving various television interviews or heard him on Rachel Maddow's radio show.  The video above shows him on Olbermann last year. 

This year, 15 members of Iraq Veterans against the War (IVAW) were in a Nassau County, New York courtroom facing disorderly conduct charges relating to their antiwar protest during the final presidential debate at Hofstra University.  This despite the fact that Iraq veteran Sgt Nick Morgan had his face crushed by a Nassau County police horse that night.

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[quote of the moment]
I like an escalator because an escalator can never break, it can only become stairs. There would never be an escalator temporarily out of order sign, only an escalator temporarily stairs. Sorry for the convenience.
– Mitch Hedberg, Best of Comedy Central

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