I should get a gold star for biting my tongue ...

[zbdent]

My brother sent me an e-mail about a non-military person's guide ...

essentially, how to show "respect" for the military, especially veterans ...

In one of the "rules", it mentions about showing respect for a military person, no matter what the rank ...

and I thought ... gee, where was this e-mail in 2004?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. That or a first aid kit.... one would think. n/t

[zbdent]

2. id'th hard do dalk wif a dandaid od dy dondue ...

[DisgustipatedinCA]

3. I'm a veteran, and I could stand to have my car washed

Believe it or not, some of us went in for college money, and because we weren't yet sure what else to do with our lives. I don't think this buys me anything special, nor should it. Granted, I wasn't a career military guy, and I was never close to war, so maybe things were different back then. But when I was in, we mostly had regular people doing regular jobs, just with uniforms on. I have nothing against the military as a whole, but this fake reverence started by Fox News et al in the lead-up to the war we never should have had is just a lot of garbage.

If you like your freedom, don't thank me because I didn't do it. I was, however, attached to a branch of the service that would have been tasked with it if it came down to that. It never came down to that, and I don't think it has since World War 2 or so. At most, I was a part of a deterrent force that kept Tonga from attacking us. I'd like to think most of your safety from Tongans is because of me.

[ZombieHorde]

4. I should get a gold star for biting your tongue. nt

[zbdent]

5. promises, promises ...

and bring cash ... especially if you want to bite anything else ...