November 11, 2009

I'd be more than happy to hug a vet today.

But he is in Michigan right now visiting his girfriend's family. My brother is a war veteran. When I was little I would never thought he would be one. I thought veteran were just those really old guys that sold flowers outside the supermarket. I was naive. I knew they did something brave and awesome but I thought we were done with making new veterans. I of course didn't really understand human society at the time.

It doesn't feel like it but my brother went to war about 5 years ago. Of course we weren't all that close till just before he left. There is a bit of an age gap. He was stationed in Iraq for a year. It stressed me out so much. At times I'd have to go to my work's break room to stop from crying in front of customers. I knew he wasn't in the front line since he is a black hawk helicopter mechanic but I knew he was being fired at every day with mortars. He definitely had it better than other people's family members, but he was still at war. There were a lot of things that he had to do that I'm glad he didn't tell me till he got back to the US.

The day he got back was awesome. It was Christmas Eve. A lot of my family joined us at the base in Quonset, RI, for the arrival. There were volunteers and soldiers everywhere as we waited. The music was cued as they flew over the base with the Rocky theme playing. They were in those huge military planes that rumbled and made your adrenaline rush. I'm tearing up right now as I remember it. We waited patiently as they filed off of the plane with big smiles. When my brother made it through I think I gave him the biggest hug of my life and bawled my eyes out. It was so awesome to see him home safe and sound.

Now he drives around in his Saab 900, with old man veteran plates on his car at age 30. We should really cut back on making new veterans. It's an unhealthy habit.

4 comments:

  1. I got all mushy when I read that.

    Of course, when soldiers came back after the world wars, they were just as young. My dad never let me forget.

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  2. Sorry to make you all mushy =)

    Oh I know, but you don't realize it till your faced with it. Later my kid's kids will be thinking all war veterans are old just like I did.

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  3. mutteringsfromthemoorNovember 16, 2009 at 11:26 PM

    All the talk here in the UK of war veterans always shows pics of the really old guys from the Second World War. Its so easy to forget that there are so many war veterans as young as your brother, and every age in between. I won't forget now.

    Thanks for your comment on my blog. I'm glad you like my lamb Annie :)

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  4. Thank you to you too. I'm sure all the war veterans appreciate the recognition.

    And how could someone not like your lamb =)

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