It is the VETERAN, not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the VETERAN, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the VETERAN, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the VETERAN, not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.
o0O0o
When you think of the military services, what do you think of? Chances are, you think of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. Most people do. There is another branch that many overlook. When military memorabilia is displayed, this one is seldom amongst it. Where service scrapbooks are sold, rarely is this one present.
There is an unsung military force that is very often the first on scene - even before the battle rages. They secure waterways and prepare the way so the other branches can safely begin their missions. They have patrolled and fought in the Viet Nam War with and alongside other forces.
The United States Coast Guard is not just a drug smuggling fighter. They are not just lifesavers when mariners encounter trouble. They are not just one of the entities that rescue hurricane victims. They are not just the ones that board your pleasure boat and issue tickets to piss you off. Where battles rage, the Coast Guard is right there - as surely as the Navy.
When you honor veterans this and every Veterans Day, please don't forget my brothers in the Coast Guard - of yesterday and today. While "Coasties" never expect any pats on the back for anything they do, it is only right to bestow the same honor upon them that you would their comrades in arms. Their most common mission may be a peacetime mission, but in times of war it becomes something much more than you might expect. Don't let them become forgotten warriors.
Semper Paratus. (Always Prepared)
From American Forces Press Service
Collins said the "fifth armed service," and the only one to fall under the Department of Homeland Security, is making its largest commitment to port- security operations since World War II. At the same time, the Coast Guard has deployed its largest contingent of Coast Guard members and assets overseas since the Vietnam conflict, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
At the height of the conflict, Collins said the Coast Guard deployed 1,200 men and women, 11 ships and a port-security unit to the theater to conduct maritime-interception operations and coastal-security patrols. The port- security unit and five — soon to be six — patrol boats remain on duty in the northern Arabian Gulf, where they work closely with the Navy and Marine Corps under the command of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
3 comments:
Thank you Dale. You are a part of what makes this country great and a safe place to live. Thank you for protecting our freedom.
Thank you, for the honor of serving you and the rest of America. I was glad to do it, as are the rest of my comrades.
Blessings!
Be well my friend!
We remember!
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