Remembrance Day / Veterans Day How many here have served?

[SFMIKE]

Your country and my country are basically celebrating the same event, but with different names.

I only wish that the average citizen in the US was half as patriotic as the average Canadian.

I got my poppy when I was up there two weeks ago. Wearing it on Monday will only generate strange looks. It seems that the poppy is a Commonwealth custom.

Now, here is my real question: How many members have served in the Military (US) , or Canadian Forces?

I would be particularly interested to know if any of the ladies served.

I spent 4 years in uniform and it still remains one of the best experiences of my life. Call it the luck of the Irish, but I was in an interesting specialty and served in great duty stations.

Now lets hear from all of you who have served. Good or bad experience?

 

[Robert Upndown]

US Navy Seabees - '75 - '78

 

[sdw]

1967 to 2004 USN

 

[rickoshadows]

35 years in the RCN (although they took away our name for most of that time) including two deployments to the Persian Gulf and a short mission in Kosovo. No regrets and I would do it again if I could go back and be 18 again.

 

[1nitestan]

Does the KISS Army count?

Props to all who served

 

[Summer-Love]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day

^^^ I wouldn't say Americans are any less patriotic than Canadians when it comes to commemorating the war. Remembrance Day is only technically observed in Commonwealth countries, and thusly they are the ones wearing the poppies, whereas the USA commemorates Vetran's Day, which is not associated with Flander's Field (which is the origin of the poppy we wear).

Thanks to all those who have served.

Summer xx

 

[summerbreeze]

The poppy is to remember a ww1 battleground called Flanders. The blooming of red poppies over the graves of dead allied soldiers prompted a Canadian doctor to write what is now a very famous poem called " In Flanders Fields" which describes the red poppies over these graves.

The poppies became a symbol of the battle of Ypres and later the whole war. The selling/wearing the poppy has been a rememberance day tradition and fund raiser for veterans.

 

[VanessaofBC]

35 years. And I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

So thats why you got that bad ass leather jacket!

 

[uncleg]

 

[LalaniElectrica]

This day means so much to me... Tomorrow I will be spending time remembering my grandfather who served in WW2 as a bomber in the British Military who had to perform his duty to defend his country after England was Bombed by Hitler in ww2. He was a very brave man, and very strict as well, which was a good thing it taught us discipline and to never settle for less than the best in ourselves! Thanks Grand dad!

On a more recent note, I will be also remembering the victims on the WTC catastrophe that many of us witnessed live on tv, only a few short years ago, which changed the entire world! The tragic invasion of Iraq, the capture of the perpetrator/initiator of the Attacks Osama Bin Laden, and the soldiers who are still stuck over there waiting to be sent home!

Most of all, I will be remembering the most recent tragedy that we as a human race have yet to resolve, the desperate situation in Syria where innocent people are terrorized daily. My heart is with the victims and those who are there trying to make a difference and bring these criminals to justice. I pray that there will be a resolution to this horrible human tragedy and it appalls me that humanity has succumbed and been exposed to this evil yet again. It reminds me of how helpless we can be regardless of what we feel/know is right, there are still people who misuse their power and excuse themselves from practicing basic human dignity.

It is a solemn time and as much as I would like to be happy, I will be praying for those in these situations to return safely to their regular lives and escape any terror they have experienced. I pray for the families who are awaiting their loved ones, the heroes who are risking their lives to return home safely!

 

[vancouver1992]

I went.college with a couple people who were member the US marine corp. and they went off to the first gulf war. When came back they were very different. They were very quiet when they retiurned. They would not talk about there experiences.

 

[sdw]

I went.college with a couple people who were member the US marine corp. and they went off to the first gulf war. When came back they were very different. They were very quiet when they retiurned. They would not talk about there experiences.

That's because they were fighting a suicidal enemy. When a tank company has just destroyed every tank in your regiment - - - except you - - - you don't shoot at one of their tanks. You get out of your tank and indicate that you really, really want to live.

When a flight of attack helicopters has just destroyed every vehicle and shot, killed or wounded everyone around you - - - you don't yell "Allah is Great" and shoot at one of the helicopters.

I heard an unbelievable number of stories about people that didn't understand that you only get to live if you don't shoot at the person that just killed everyone around you. And, especially, you don't shoot, stab or try to strangle someone who has taken you prisoner. People that run into that kind of thing stop trying to take prisoners if they have seen someone get killed or injured that way.

It hurts the heart when you know that if the person you killed had even basic intelligence - - - you could have let them live. And you know that there is no way to explain it that won't have a civilian saying "you didn't try hard enough", "you're a stone cold killer".

 

[PlayfulAlex]

 

[PlayfulAlex]

A REMEMBRANCE DAY VIDEO for schools/ceremony's (also VETERANS DAY) CANADIAN SOLDIER TRIBUTE VIDEO 2013 with Rare Exclusive HD Dieppe & D-Day actual World War Two Film Footage & AFGHANISTAN Battle Footage. Showing the history of the Canadian Forces from WW1 to present day. Used for ceremonies and high school assemblies during Veterans Week in Canada. A tribute to all Canadian soldiers. We will never forget!

Features actual film footage and photos from Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Dieppe, Ortona, Normandy, Korea and Afghanistan. Helmand Province.

Edited by Jonathan Wagner.
http://www.wagnermedia.ca

To use this video for a school ceremony or educational presentation, please visit http://vimeo.com/7612972 and click 'Download' to receive an HD copy without pop-ups.

Please do not copy this video or re-upload it anywhere. If you use it for a presentation, I only ask that you please give me credit for the creation of the video. You can credit me as - 'Jonathan Wagner - WagnerMedia.ca'. Thank you.

If you choose to use my video for a Remembrance Day Ceremony, please email me to let me know where you are located. I'm always interested to know how and where my video is being shown. Much appreciated! WagnerMediaHD@gmail.com

Please view my other videos about Canadian high school students travelling through Europe on a commemorative battlefield tour. http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=...

Veterans Affairs:
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/

Canadian Forces:
http://www.forces.ca/

Canada at War:
http://wwii.ca/

Jimmy Eat World Band Site:
http://www.jimmyeatworld.com/

Song Lyrics:
http://tinyurl.com/ydutem7

 

[CLUB78]

I had a grandad at the "Miracle of Dunkirk" and considered serving myself when I was in Navy Cadets, despite knowing from said Grandad full well why dog-tags are worn.

Our freedoms are not protected by speeches and ideals however we may like to delude ourselves into thinking this is the case. They are protected by people with weapons who are protected by people with intel. Threats to our way of life and in fact our very lives are constant, and the "enemy" can be everywhere.

To those who are serving or have served, thank you.

 

[CSG]

Our freedoms are not protected by speeches and ideals however we may like to delude ourselves into thinking this is the case. They are protected by people with weapons who are protected by people with intel. Threats to our way of life and in fact our very lives are constant, and the "enemy" can be everywhere.

To those who are serving or have served, thank you.

You're welcome. Thanks for the heartfelt sentiment.

 

[Stbljmpr]

RCN 1971 to 1991.

 

[p2v7guy]

"...How many here have served?" asked SFMIKE

25+ years for me in RCAF&CAF, half as aircrew. I had it much easier than currently serving Cdn soldiers.

One year for my Canadian father, 21, Gunner in CFA incl Jan-Jun 1918 near Vimy Ridge where Germans, Brits and French slaughtered each other to see who was the dominant bully in Europe. Gas attacks occurred. His lungs gave out at age 40 in 1937

1840-1860 in Brit infantry for my English great grandfather in service of the world's foremost military bully of the 19th century. Garrison at Malta, Bermuda, & Montreal(demotion and 6mo hard labour for insubordination) . Combat in India Mutiny and Sebastipol vs the rising Russian bully...wounded, recovered and decorated. Most fortunate to survive 20 yrs of starvation and abuse by Brit officers plus disease and shipwrecks. Smart enough to take his little pension and leave on the first day eligible.

One year in US Army for my Canadian great uncle, silly enough to go help Monroe, Mahan, Lodge, Roosvelt, and other US warhawk imperialists subjugate Puerto Rico, Cuba and Phillipines c1898.

Most proud of my German farmer gg-grandfather born in NJ-USA. In Lincoln Militia at age 18 at Lundy's Lane with the Redcoats and Mowhawks 25 Jul 1814 to end the successful invasion of Canada on the Niagara frontier 50 miles from his farm-home in Clinton Twp. Two older brothers also served with the decimated Lincoln Regiments and survived. Their new immigrant widowed(in 1812) German mother from NJ with 10 kids on a war frontier ran a farm during 4 years of terror. I think she served her new country well. I remember them all.

Recall the 2011-2012 Global TV show "Bomb Girls" sadly cancelled this year. Did those fictional WW2 women serve their country?

 

[VanessaofBC]

I was sad to read this today, I hope you do not mind me sharing it here....

Soldier suicides prompt concerns about military mental health support
By Shirlee Engel and Nick Logan Global News

OTTAWA – Seven years after Warrant Officer Frank Mellish was killed in Afghanistan, his cousin, Warrant Officer Michael McNeil could no longer live with the pain of that loss.


According to Barry Mellish — McNeil’s uncle and Mellish’s father — the two men were like brothers and even served two tours together.

“We’re a close family,” he told Global News. “We always thought highly of him and him of us.”

With McNeil’s death by suicide, this week, Mellish said the family is reliving what it went through seven years ago.

McNeil was one of three Canadian soldiers to die by suicide this week alone.

“He was suffering survivor’s guilt,” Mellish said in a phone interview from his home in Truro, N.S. “There’s no doubt in my mind he was.”

“I think they should have had him on a suicide watch… I think they dropped the ball on that,” he said.

McNeil died on Thursday at CFB Petawawa, northwest of Ottawa. His death came after that of Master Cpl. William Elliott on Tuesday, at a home near CFB Shilo in Manitoba, and Master Bombardier Travis Halmrast — who was previously based at CFB Shilo — on Monday at a correctional centre in Lethbridge, Alta.

Halmrast died three days after being found in distress at the correctional centre, where he was being held on charges of domestic assault, The Canadian Press reported.

Like McNeil, Halmrast and Elliott were veterans of the war in Afghanistan.

Their deaths have raised concerns about how well-equipped Veterans Affairs and the Department of National Defence are to deal with soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Jerry Kovacs of Canadian Veterans Advocacy told Global News in Ottawa on Friday this “is a wake-up call to the government.”

“We’re hoping it’s an aberration… That no more Canadian soldiers will take this route,” he said. “We’re just hoping that these tragic events serve as a wake-up call to the government to say, ‘Listen, we can’t talk about this anymore, we really have to take action to make sure no [more] Canadian soldiers injure themselves.’”

DND defended its record of supporting veterans on Friday, saying it has set up support systems for military members and their families.

James Bezan, the parliamentary secretary to Minister of Defence Rob Nicholson, said the department has “compartmentalized” $50 million a year just for dealing with mental health.

“Suicide rates within the Canadian Armed Forces [are] well below the Canadian national average,” he said. “I think a lot of that has to do with the huge investments we have made into health care and especially in mental health.”

cont'd
SOURCE: http://globalnews.ca/news/999826/so...oncerns-about-military-mental-health-support/