Veterans’ Day Thoughts From One Of COTR’s Own.

A great submission from Chuck Liles SSGT USAF(Retired), who wrote this years ago, but wanted us all to know that these words hold true yesterday, today, and all of our tomorrows!

Happy Veterans’ Day to all those who have served, and continue to serve.  You are so appreciated!

Memorial day in the month of May is a day in which remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

Veterans day however is a day set aside to honor those who served and made it home, some with broken bodies, or broken minds, but rarely with broken spirits,.

It has been said, “a veteran is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The United States of America, for an amount of up to and including their life.”

I would like to say thank you to all of those who went before me, and all of those who stood up and joined in the line to serve behind me.

To those who served who’s names do not appear on any walls or national memorials.

To those who served with honor and valor, and now will fade silently and anonymously into history.

To the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines that I served with. Together we stood watch on our country and all over the planet, in swamps, jungles, mountains, deserts, hot as hell days, and unbelievably cold nights, fighting the will of dictators, insurgents, warlords, terrorists, boredom and often each other just to test each other’s mettle.

To all of you who were there with me, shoulder to shoulder through the dust, the sand, the snow, the mud, the blood, and the beer.

To all of those who said these words and still hold them dear.

“I do solemnly swear/affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of The United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of The President of The United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me according to regulations and The Uniform Code of Military Justice.”

I thank and salute you all. –Chuck Liles SSGT USAF(Retired).