Pollack Pete 2,273 #1 Posted November 10, 2017 I want to take a minute to thank all the veterans here and all over the world for their unselfish service and sacrifices. God bless all of you. 11 3 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 36,945 #3 Posted November 10, 2017 10 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JC 1965 1,528 #4 Posted November 10, 2017 I second all the above posts. If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English,Thank A Veteran. 5 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 36,945 #5 Posted November 10, 2017 HELL yeah! 4 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 46,772 #6 Posted November 10, 2017 Thank you Pete! 5 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SALTYWRIGHT 859 #7 Posted November 10, 2017 I SERVED 1951 TO 1953. 4 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeacemakerJack 10,671 #8 Posted November 10, 2017 Thank you Veterans! God bless you for your service to this great country. I am eternally grateful to you for all that you have sacrificed so that I can enjoy the benefits of God ordained, military preserved FREEDOM. You are my hero’s! 2 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slim67 2,730 #9 Posted November 10, 2017 Americas finest. God bless you all. 6 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris G 3,274 #10 Posted November 10, 2017 I will also say THANK YOU to all veterans past and present. Thanks for all you do and the hell you endure to keep this country free and safe. ( FREEDOM IS THE SURE POSSESSION OF THOSE ALONE WHO HAVE THE COURAGE TO DEFEND IT ) 6 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,230 #11 Posted November 10, 2017 HAPPY VETERANS DAY....don't forget to fly our flag. 7 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ACman 7,507 #12 Posted November 10, 2017 (edited) for keeping our country safe and free , as freedom isn’t free . Every vet from the one just sitting behind a desk , to the one who’s been to the Bowles of hell and back . To the ones who gave a piece of their body or the ultimate sacrifice their LIFE ! You guys and gals are not forgotten . Fly our flag loud and proud and stand before it in awe as this is what they fought and fight for . As a signal to all people and nations of our freedoms of this great country that we take for granted everyday . One more thing if this guy can manage to stand (with help) to salute the flag there’s no reason anyone should take a knee . Thank you and GOD BLESS AMERICA ! ACman Edited November 11, 2017 by ACman 5 5 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeacemakerJack 10,671 #13 Posted November 10, 2017 5 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 26,554 #14 Posted November 10, 2017 A big THANK YOU to all those who have served!! 6 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 35,769 #15 Posted November 10, 2017 Thank You to all who have honorably served to protect our Country and to preserve the Freedom we all enjoy. 6 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oliver2-44 8,852 #16 Posted November 10, 2017 Thank you flu your service. We are forever indebted to yourself AN AIRLINE CAPTAINS REPORT The American flag does not fly because the wind moves past it.....The American flag flies from the last breath of each military member who has died serving it." AIRLINE CAPTAIN - You will not regret reading this one. I PromiseMy lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an H.R. on this flight." (H.R. stands for Human Remains.)"Are they military?" I asked.'Yes', she said.'Is there an escort?' I asked.'Yes, I've already assigned him a seat'.'Would you please tell him to come to the Flight Deck. You can board him early," I said...A short while later a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier.The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us. 'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia,' he said. He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words.I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him that he had the toughest job in the military, and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left the Flight Deck to find his seat.We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight, I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin.'I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is also on board', she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left.We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia. The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane.I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do. 'I'm on it', I said. I told her that I would get back to her.Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher. I explained the situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted.. He said he understood and that he would get back to me.Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the text:'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now, and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal, where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home.Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.I sent a message back, telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.'Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller, we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.' I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake.. I pushed the public address button and said: 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking: I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life. Private XXXXXX s under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft.When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands. Moments later, more passengers joined inand soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You', I'm sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these United States of AMERICA.Prayer Request: When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops around the world... 10 1 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 24,130 #17 Posted November 11, 2017 Godspeed to all our Veterans - Current and past. 6 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 46,772 #18 Posted November 11, 2017 (edited) Excellent @oliver2-44 thanks for posting .... Brings to mind my personal experiences of escorting our fallen home and brought tears to both myself and my wife's eyes upon reading. Edited November 11, 2017 by WHX12 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daddy Don 889 #19 Posted November 11, 2017 (edited) 12 hours ago, JC 1965 said: I second all the above posts. If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English,Thank A Veteran. Way to go this is the way it should be. From one veteran to all. Edited November 11, 2017 by Daddy Don 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
r356c 375 #20 Posted November 11, 2017 3.1 percent of all living Americans have served in the Army, 1.7 percent in the Navy, 1.4 percent in the Air Force and 0.8 percent in the Marines, while the remaining 0.5 percent served in either non-defense or reserve roles. That is a very small slice of the US population to keep everything from coming off the rails. Military members have every reason to be proud of their service and accomplishments. Ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things. HAPPY VETERANS DAY! 4 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rjg854 10,737 #21 Posted November 11, 2017 https://www.facebook.com/ robert.surgenor.5/videos/ 10204458888057032/ here's a story about some of the first veterans of our Country 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 63,133 #22 Posted November 11, 2017 On 11/10/2017 at 6:44 AM, Pollack Pete said: I want to take a minute to thank all the veterans here and all over the world for their unselfish service and sacrifice Yes !! Thank you to all the women and men who have served in every possible capacity !!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites