we appreciate the men and women who serve

I hope Obama is changing the historic pattern of abandoning veterans once they are home injured, in need of mental and physical medical care, jobs, education, and family support.

I've always attended Memorial Day events in the past but can no longer do so. I still shed tears when I hear Taps.

BBB

Are they serving soft ice cream? Yummy!

The lifetime mental health and physical health needs of those who have fought for our nation will be huge. I have seen a couple of attempts at getting number. The toll is quickly rising in the active force as well, which is scary considering that my wife is active duty. Divorces and domestic violence is endemic, suicide rates are out of control, PTSD rates are climbing fast.

We see a lot of dismissal of the breaking of those who fought, the rationalization of those who want to ignore the problem is "they signed up for duty, they knew what they were getting themselves into". Well, they did sign up, many times not for themselves but because they felt a calling to serve others, and for the most part nobody was thinking about the long term negative effects on self.

It takes a special kind of soldier to endure the prolonged wars we fight these days. I do not envy them. I would support making the government do more for them all.

We had a small reverential parade that ended up at our towns cemetery where there is a small but noticeable plot dedicated to veterans . I saw several of my friends from all sides of the political spectrum. We all were remembering as AMericans first.

My friend and employee who shot himself is buried there, He had a sad life after coming home from Desrt STorm. His wife wasnt there, shes since moved on to another life. (No recriminations, just sad to have noone remember you)

My parents are buried in the VA Cemetery in west Los Angeles. Back in the late sixties, just before my father died, I worked across the street and heard taps through my lab windows, a lot, usually around ten a.m. Later on, I still worked in that building, but in another lab in a different area, and didn't hear them. (My mother died later.) Anyway, I never did go there on Memorial Day (also my husband's birthday, back then), always going when I felt like it as I passed the cemetery, any old day of the week. Now it is hard for me to get there.. any time.

Which is to say, people are not necessarily forgotten, just because the visit isn't on a prescribed holiday, even a memorial holiday.

Ignore me, I have an attitude.