BAND OF BROTHERS

Band of brothers…Larry Usoff

This was sent to me by a listener, and there’s a credit further down, but I’m not sure he wrote all of this.  I don’t even know when Band Of Brothers Day might be, but we have Memorial Day coming up and this fits. From William Shakespeare’s Henry V, 1598: ” We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me, Shall be my brother;”  I have lived a long life, seen many things, but yet, I know very little!  Tomorrow however, I will know much more!   About 9% of the US population has served in the military. Just under one percent are serving on active duty today. These numbers are small but often it is the small things that nurture greatness. As our government is headed towards a most drastic reduction in our military capability at a time when we may be facing a growing worldwide threat from Russia, China and the Middle East, I worry that our culture has come to denigrate the contribution and sacrifice of those who serve. Bless you all.

          You may have served in Combat or in non-combat. You may have retired out or you may have served for a short time. You may have been a

draftee or a volunteer. You may have served in the Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard or the Merchant Marines, BUT YOU SERVED!. YOU DID YOUR JOB HONORABLY and for that I am PROUD to call you Brother. You may have served during Korea, WWII,. Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Iraq or Afghanistan, BUT YOU SERVED--YOU DID NOT RUN!  You have a DD 214 with those words "HONORABLY DISCHARGED" two of the most noble words in the world.  Again I am proud to know each and every one of you.

          * Today is Band of Brothers' Day* ; send this to all your brothers, fathers, sons and fellow veterans you know. Happy Brothers' Day! To the cool men that have touched my life: Here's to you!! I was never a hero, but I am thankful and proud to have served among them. A real Brother walks with you when the rest of the world walks on you. Send to all your Band of Brothers, because the fake ones won't.

          This apparently was authored by one 1st Sgt. Ray L. Flood, U.S. Army Military Police (ret.). He probably wanted to serve in the Air Force but they were undoubtedly all booked up that month when he went to sign up. At least he decided America was more important than being all you can be at Domino’s Pizza.

And to be fair and all-inclusive to the Kumbaya Korps, I embrace all of you who wanted to serve but felt the call of the wild in Canada. As Winston Churchill might have observed   “They served also who only stood on the other side of the border and waited.” Thank you all, my unselfish fellow brothers and sisters.    For all of us who served in Vietnam Band of Brothers Day is officially May 7th every year as that is the day the American Government declared the “conflict” over. I believe the race to the rooftop over at the US Embassy was April 30, 1975 but I do know some of my friends in Air America were still over at Tan Son Nhut packing up PC-6s for transport out to Taiwan on the 7th when the NVA showed up.

          To you who served…thank you for your service.