VETERANS DAY

[WCHA-FAN]

Thank you to all our Veterans who have served and those who are serving currently to protect this great nation.

Many a time we forget in this great nation that we have fought for the freedoms that we have here. To those who have served to protect us we shall be thankful. Every day that our soldiers get up to serve our country is another day we are free. If not for them who knows what would be of this great nation. So again to those Veterans, I thank you for your great service to this nation. May she always be free because of our brave.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

[willythekid]

God bless our Veterans!

[AmericanSoldier15u]

I am not a veteran myself, as I only recently joined the Army and am currently on my first deployment, but I have always been a huge supporter of veterans and current military personnel.

When I was in high school I joined the CAF (Commemorative Air Force, formerly Confederate Air Force, an organization that restores and flies vintage aircraft, mostly WW2, at airshows around the nation) and helped out with the local chapter where I was at in NC. I was the only one under 20 years old, and 1 of only 2 under 40 in the chapter. There were many veterans there for me to get to know and learn lots of things from, from WW2 to Korea, to Vietnam, Desert Storm, etc. Over the 3 years I was there I heard tons and tons of stories from those times. I may not still be a member thanks to my schedule, but being with that group led me to attending many airshows a year and now I get to one whenever I can. When I do, i never hesitate to talk to pilots, shake a hand of a vet and ask questions, listen to stories, etc. It is always so interesting. Even just this past spring I was in Texas and chatting with veterans in the CAF from there in TX.

Yeah, I am 24, and sometimes still act like it, and like things 24 year olds like. But I also feel a little more mature, older than my age, because of the people I have surrounded myself with and have given myself the chance to get to know. I am not bragging with that statement, I am saying I appreciate how those veterans have affected me and my personality over the years. Without them, who knows what could have happened.

Veterans play a huge part in our lives, every day, that many people, and I may go as far as to say MOST people, in the US dont even realize. Obviously, thanks to the events of 9/11, the country is behind its troops 100%, even if they dont agree with the cause the military is fighting for. People don't take it out on the troops. Some go as far as to be sorry for the troops that we have to be over here fighting what some would call an unnecessary war. No matter what it is, you would be hard pressed to find someone who actually doesn't like, or appreciate, our troops, and that is a wonderful thing. And the same goes for vets as well. Being on this side now, I can't imagine what it must have been like in Vietnam, or for the troops when they returned home to a country opposed to them personally. We are a lucky bunch these days to have the support of the country.

To those men and women who have served before, thank you for your service to this country and all the sacrifices that you have made to now be appreciated so much.

To those men and women serving currently, whether in Iraq, Afghanistan, or elsewhere around the globe, or lucky enough to not be deployed at this time and taking care of things on the home front instead, keep up the great work brothers and sisters. No matter what people may think of the wars we are in, it was not our choice to be here, but we fight the good fight nonetheless.

Thanks to all who support the military, especially the veterans.

PFC Hamlin, Justin U.S. Army: 2009-current

[WCHA-FAN]

I am not a veteran myself, as I only recently joined the Army and am currently on my first deployment, but I have always been a huge supporter of veterans and current military personnel.

When I was in high school I joined the CAF (Commemorative Air Force, formerly Confederate Air Force) and helped out with the local chapter where I was at in NC. I was the only one under 20 years old, and 1 of only 2 under 40 in the chapter. There were many veterans there for me to get to know and learn lots of things from, from WW2 to Korea, to Vietnam, Desert Storm, etc. Over the 3 years I was there I heard tons and tons of stories from those times. I may not still be a member, but being with that group led me to attending many airshows a year and now I get to one whenever I can. When I do, i never hesitate to talk to pilots, shake a hand of a vet and ask questions, listen to stories, etc. It is always so interesting. Even just this past spring I was in Texas and chatting with veterans in the CAF from there in TX.

Yeah, I am 24, and sometimes still act like it, and like things 24 year olds like. But I also feel a little more mature, older than my age, because of the people I have surrounded myself with and have given myself the chance to get to know. I am not bragging with that statement, I am saying I appreciate how those veterans have affected me and my personality over the years. Without them, who knows what could have happened.

Veterans play a huge part in our lives, every day, that many people, and I may go as far as to say MOST people, in the US dont even realize. Obviously, thanks to the events of 9/11, the country is behind its troops 100%, even if they dont agree for the cause the military is fighting for. People don't take it out on the troops. Some go as far as to be sorry for the troops that we have to be over here fighting what some would call an unnecessary war. No matter what it is, you would be hard pressed to find someone who actually doesn't like, or appreciate, our troops, and that is a wonderful thing. Being on this side now, I can't imagine what it must have been like in Vietnam, or for the troops when they returned home to a country opposed to them personally. We are a lucky bunch these days to have the support of the country.

To those men and women who have served before, thank you for your service to this country and all the sacrifices that you have made to now be appreciated so much.

To those men and women serving currently, whether in Iraq, Afghanistan, or elsewhere around the globe, or lucky enough to not be deployed at this time and taking care of things on the home front instead, keep up the great work brothers and sisters. No matter what people may think of the wars we are in, it was not our choice to be here, but we fight the good fight nonetheless.

Thanks to all who support the military, especially the veterans.

PFC Hamlin, Justin US Army 2009-current

Thank you for your service to this great nation! Wish you the best. Come home safe! God Bless!

[AmericanSoldier15u]

Thank you for your service to this great nation! Wish you the best. Come home safe! God Bless!

thanks man. we'll do what we can. just got back from watching a night launch of 2 CH-47 Chinooks, 2 AH-64 Apaches, and 2 UH-60 Blackhawks.....going to be a good night :-D

[Siouxmama]

Thanks to all who have defended our country.

All who are serving abroad, come home safe and sound.

[Goon]

thanks man. we'll do what we can. just got back from watching a night launch of 2 CH-47 Chinooks, 2 AH-64 Apaches, and 2 UH-60 Blackhawks.....going to be a good night :-D

The Chinooks can kick up lots of sand with both of their rotors.

[AmericanSoldier15u]

The Chinooks can kick up lots of sand with both of their rotors.

tell me about it man. thats actually what I work on for my job. The chinook is an awesome, amazing aircraft. Yeah it looks big and bulky, some call it the schoolbus. But it is the fastest, most agile bird the army has helicopter wise. It also can carry its own weight in cargo between the inside and sling load (theoretically it can carry more (26000 lbs) that is weighs empty (25000 lbs) but you will be hard pressed to EVER find a chinook that weighs 25000 lbs and even when you are going to sling load another chinook, it usually is torn down to almost 15000 lbs)

And yeah, it kicks up some dust. I will try and get a video while I am here for some chinooks landing after coming right over me. I have been out there a few times for that, but I usually try and take pics. When they do that, they usually are only about 100 feet above us when they fly over, and we are right on the edge of the dusted area. The downwash from those 6 blades (90 feet between the tip of the front disc and the tip of the aft disc) can blow you off your feet if you arent careful. It is an amazing feeling getting dusted out by one. Of course, then you have dust in your hair, ears, nose, etc lol

[Ranger]

thanks man. we'll do what we can. just got back from watching a night launch of 2 CH-47 Chinooks, 2 AH-64 Apaches, and 2 UH-60 Blackhawks.....going to be a good night :-D

Mix in 2 x MH-60s and 4-6 x MH-6s... that's a great night.

[Goon]

tell me about it man. thats actually what I work on for my job. The chinook is an awesome, amazing aircraft. Yeah it looks big and bulky, some call it the schoolbus. But it is the fastest, most agile bird the army has helicopter wise. It also can carry its own weight in cargo between the inside and sling load (theoretically it can carry more (26000 lbs) that is weighs empty (25000 lbs) but you will be hard pressed to EVER find a chinook that weighs 25000 lbs and even when you are going to sling load another chinook, it usually is torn down to almost 15000 lbs)

And yeah, it kicks up some dust. I will try and get a video while I am here for some chinooks landing after coming right over me. I have been out there a few times for that, but I usually try and take pics. When they do that, they usually are only about 100 feet above us when they fly over, and we are right on the edge of the dusted area. The downwash from those 6 blades (90 feet between the tip of the front disc and the tip of the aft disc) can blow you off your feet if you arent careful. It is an amazing feeling getting dusted out by one. Of course, then you have dust in your hair, ears, nose, etc lol

At our EPW camp in Desert Storm, the First Cav brought in a bunch of Chinooks with Iraqi EPW's on them and they kicked up one heck of a dust storm. They are an awesome site. One of my buddies said he used to take them out to his FOB in Afghanistan, he said they were fun to fly on.

[Goon]

Mix in 2 x MH-60s and 4-6 x MH-6s... that's a great night.

Freedom Birds. They take you to the fight and bring you home. I got to take a flight on a Huey (uh-1) and a Blackhawk (UH-60)...

[AmericanSoldier15u]

Mix in 2 x MH-60s and 4-6 x MH-6s... that's a great night.

NightStalkers hooah! an MH-60 DAP is the best. little birds are beastly. and MH-47s are to freaking die for

At our EPW camp in Desert Storm, the First Cav brought in a bunch of Chinooks with Iraqi EPW's on them and they kicked up one heck of a dust storm. They are an awesome site. One of my buddies said he used to take them out to his FOB in Afghanistan, he said they were fun to fly on.

yeah i bet they were using EAPS for that then. Still cant figure out why we arent using EAPS here with all the dust around, but maybe cause of the dang reduction in power it causes, and at this altitude, we need all the power we can get! yeah they are used some as air taxi's, so to speak lol. but yeah, a beast of a bird. love them and always will