Yesterday my son, my wife, my granddaughter, and I were at the Wisconsin State Fair. It was military appreciation day. They have a parade in the afternoon. We were sitting in the shade and my son and I and him carrying his 8 week old daughter were standing up to watch as a group of veterans walked by they called us out to join them. As this parade wandered through the state fair park we called other veterans to join us in the parade. A newly minted Marine in uniform joined us, a few older VietNam vets. Some guys in wheel chairs that we pushed others who couldn't walk much joined for a short while as they were able. Uniformed forces from the different branches in front and behind us. Crowds cheering as we went along. Probably about 100 veterans of all branches total. All of us with one thing in common. We all served.
Veterans Day at the local high school. You see they do not give the kids a day off by me. Instead they invite veterans to come into the auditorium and talk to the kids. Sometimes it is and open thing where the veterans tell of their time in service other times it is more formal with a panel of students interviewing the vets.
My wish was that I could get my dad (Korea), myself and my two kids both veterans, all on that stage together. Unfortunately my father passed before we could make that happen.
