Veterans...Get the hell in here now!

I volunteered for the Army at 18, wasn't accepted (eyesight). Serving would have done the undisciplined punk that I was a lot of good...

My humblest respects to all who have ever served and sacrificed on this Memorial Day, and a prayer that we save lives by not letting America's corporations find/create excuses to start yet more unnecessary wars for profit.

Even though 16 million Americans fought in the Second World War, the number of veterans from the conflict still alive today is falling quickly. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, just under one million U.S. WWII veterans were alive in 2015. The men and women who fought in the war are now in their late 80s and 90s with an average of 362 dying every day. That raises a sad and depressing question: when will the country lose the last of its WWII veterans?

The Department of Veterans Affairs uses a deterministic actuarial projection model to estimate and project the veteran population from FY2015 to FY2045. As can be seen from the following infographic, the number of living WWII veterans will steadily fall over the coming 30 years with the very last expected to pass away in 2044. That means time is swiftly running out to hear their memories of the conflict and honor their sacrifice. Frank Buckles was the last surviving U.S. veteran of the First World War. Born in 1901, he enlisted in the army in 1917 and drove ambulances and motorcycles during the war in Europe. Buckles eventually became the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation and he passed away in February 2011.

Forbes
Niall McCarthy , CONTRIBUTOR
MAY 28, 2018 @ 07:57 AM

By Dave Philipps, New York Times
May 28, 2018

ARLINGTON, Va. — The solemn ritual of a burial with military honors is repeated dozens of times a day, in foul weather or fair, at Arlington National Cemetery, honoring service members from privates to presidents. But in order to preserve the tradition of burial at the nation’s foremost military cemetery for future generations, the Army, which runs Arlington, says that it may have to deny it to nearly all veterans who are living today.

Arlington is running out of room. Already the final resting place for more that 420,000 veterans and their relatives, the cemetery has been adding about 7,000 more each year. At that rate, even if the last rinds of open ground around its edges are put to use, the cemetery will be completely full in about 25 years.

“We’re literally up against a wall,” said Barbara Lewandrowski, a spokeswoman for the cemetery, as she stood in the soggy grass where marble markers march up to the stone wall separating the grounds from a six-lane highway. Even that wall has been put to use, stacked three high with niches for cremated remains.

The Army wants to keep Arlington going for at least another 150 years, but with no room to grow — the grounds are hemmed in by highways and development — the only way to do so is to significantly tighten the rules for who can be buried there. That has prompted a difficult debate over what Arlington means to the nation and how to balance egalitarian ideals against the site’s physical limits.

rest of story here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/28/us/arlington-cemetery-veterans.html

BarnBuster said:

Estimated number of living U.S: WWII veterans from 2015 to 2045​

Even though 16 million Americans fought in the Second World War, the number of veterans from the conflict still alive today is falling quickly. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, just under one million U.S. WWII veterans were alive in 2015. The men and women who fought in the war are now in their late 80s and 90s with an average of 362 dying every day. That raises a sad and depressing question: when will the country lose the last of its WWII veterans?

The Department of Veterans Affairs uses a deterministic actuarial projection model to estimate and project the veteran population from FY2015 to FY2045. As can be seen from the following infographic, the number of living WWII veterans will steadily fall over the coming 30 years with the very last expected to pass away in 2044. That means time is swiftly running out to hear their memories of the conflict and honor their sacrifice. Frank Buckles was the last surviving U.S. veteran of the First World War. Born in 1901, he enlisted in the army in 1917 and drove ambulances and motorcycles during the war in Europe. Buckles eventually became the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation and he passed away in February 2011.

Forbes
Niall McCarthy , CONTRIBUTOR
MAY 28, 2018 @ 07:57 AM

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They are going fast. Daddy died in 2002 at 78 years old. He did the walking tour of France in 1944. Was shot twice and spent the rest of the war in a German POW camp.

Harold C. Hutchison
May. 29, 2018 06:30PM EST

In the wake of the Vietnam War, Hollywood didn't give vets of the controversial conflict a good depiction. The Oscars went to movies like Deer Hunter or Platoon, which did a great job of showcasing the horrors of war, but often made troops appear to be ruthless, cold killers.

On the small screen, however, things were different. Famously, Tom Selleck's portrayal of Thomas Magnum, a private investigator and former Navy officer, in Magnum, P.I. helped others see vets as tough and virtuous. But a show about motorcycle cops also helped showcase the good side of vets three years before Selleck assumed his iconic role.

CHiPs featured two California Highway Patrol officers, Jon Baker and Francis Llewellyn "Ponch" Poncherello, as played by Larry Wilcox and Erik Estrada, respectively. Wilcox got into acting after serving in the Marine Corps for three years, reaching the rank of sergeant and serving for 13 months in Vietnam as an artilleryman. Estrada previously played a small role as the pilot of a F4F Wildcat in the movie Midway.

Throughout the show, Baker would occasionally mention his service in Vietnam, including during a third-season episode where he and Ponch had to skydive in order to catch drug smugglers in the act. Wilcox's portrayal of Baker stands out — because he didn't play a PTSD-riddled derelict (a popular trend in movies at the time), but instead a productive member of society. In fact, Baker often ended up being more by-the-books in comparison to the flamboyant Ponch.

The show lasted for six seasons on NBC, with Wilcox playing Baker for five of those. Most of the cast returned for a reunion movie in 1999. By then, Baker had been promoted to captain. Baker, incidentally, was not the only character to portray a Vietnam-era vet. Robert Pine (the father of Chris Pine) played Joe Getraer, the long-suffering sergeant and Navy veteran. Arthur Grossman was also a service vet.

The Associated Press 31 May 2018
MANASSAS, Va. — The National Park Service has reached agreement with a nonprofit veterans' organization allowing it take cremated remains left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and bury them will full military honors.

A park service statement says the Missing in America Project will take possession of dozens of sets of cremains left at the memorial through the years and any future cremains left. They will be inurned in an in-ground vault at a cemetery in Manassas, Virginia, a capital suburb. Since 1989, approximately 80 sets of ashes have been left at the memorial wall, despite the park service not having appropriate means for their care.

The Washington Post reported Wednesday the remains had been kept in a locked cabinet at the park service's large Museum Resource Center in Maryland. No date for the transfer or burial has been set.

“Our mission statement is to locate, identify and inter the unclaimed cremains of military veterans,” said Brigitte Corbin of the Missing in America Project.

“I don’t want to see any veteran left on a shelf,” Corbin said. “I’ve been around the military my whole life, my husband is retired military, and I believe strongly in this mission statement and the work that we’re doing.”

Despite the new arrangement, existing park service policy isn’t changing.

“Leaving of cremated remains or the scattering of ashes at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is still prohibited by regulation,” Litterst said.

https://www.rollitup.org/t/just-dogs.879128/page-66#post-14274170
War Dog: The 50-year-old mystery of a pioneering SEAL dog

look at this restored beauty. Can you imagine an overflight of 836 of these? (1AUG45, largest single raid in WW2 over Japan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=29&v=zn_KwkX8MTY

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2018/05/restored_world_war_ii_b-29_bom.html

https://patch.com/us/across-america/s/gfpo2/fallen-soldier-s-brothers-take-touching-photos-with-his-baby?utm_source=newsletter-daily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=kids & family &utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_content=article-national&utm_slot=2
https://thefallen.militarytimes.com/spc-christopher-michael-harris/6568716
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/newborn-baby-fallen-soldier-chris-harris-photo-shoot-army-devil-brigade/

I think I've gotten something in my eye.

GreatwhiteNorth said:

I think I've gotten something in my eye.

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Yea, I saw that story on the TV news. I got into some dust myself.

BarnBuster said:

Arlington Cemetery, Nearly Full, May Become More Exclusive
To preserve space for future war heroes in the country’s premier national cemetery, the Army is considering new rules that would turn away many currently eligible veterans.​

By Dave Philipps, New York Times
May 28, 2018

ARLINGTON, Va. — The solemn ritual of a burial with military honors is repeated dozens of times a day, in foul weather or fair, at Arlington National Cemetery, honoring service members from privates to presidents. But in order to preserve the tradition of burial at the nation’s foremost military cemetery for future generations, the Army, which runs Arlington, says that it may have to deny it to nearly all veterans who are living today.

Arlington is running out of room. Already the final resting place for more that 420,000 veterans and their relatives, the cemetery has been adding about 7,000 more each year. At that rate, even if the last rinds of open ground around its edges are put to use, the cemetery will be completely full in about 25 years.

“We’re literally up against a wall,” said Barbara Lewandrowski, a spokeswoman for the cemetery, as she stood in the soggy grass where marble markers march up to the stone wall separating the grounds from a six-lane highway. Even that wall has been put to use, stacked three high with niches for cremated remains.

The Army wants to keep Arlington going for at least another 150 years, but with no room to grow — the grounds are hemmed in by highways and development — the only way to do so is to significantly tighten the rules for who can be buried there. That has prompted a difficult debate over what Arlington means to the nation and how to balance egalitarian ideals against the site’s physical limits.

rest of story here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/28/us/arlington-cemetery-veterans.html

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Is it too much to ask that we find ways to stop having so many wars, so maybe we won't need to bury so many of those who fought?

With great respect, I must point out that the very best way to save a soldier's life is to not send him into battle in the first place.

ttystikk said:

Is it too much to ask that we find ways to stop having so many wars, so maybe we won't need to bury so many of those who fought?

With great respect, I must point out that the very best way to save a soldier's life is to not send him into battle in the first place.

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Until that happens......

doublejj said:

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...over a beer lol

"Jordan wrote, “I consider myself fortunate in having known one of the greatest peace officers this country has produced—Captain John Hughes of the Texas Rangers… Like most old timers, he was reluctant to talk of personal experiences but occasionally passed out advice well worth heeding.
One such gem that I have always remembered and will pass on was: ‘If you get in a gunfight, don’t let yourself feel rushed. Take your time, fast.’” (Page 107)
Earlier in the book, Bill remarked, “And above all, take all the time necessary but don’t dawdle. Remember, ‘speed’s fine, but accuracy’s final’—if you are given time to display it!” (Page 99)"
Massad Ayoob on Bill's book

ttystikk said:

Is it too much to ask that we find ways to stop having so many wars, so maybe we won't need to bury so many of those who fought?

With great respect, I must point out that the very best way to save a soldier's life is to not send him into battle in the first place.

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Most of the ones going in there are old folks from WWII. Our new wars are tiny when compared to that one.