I may be a maverick compared to some of these old goats, but they and I have much in common.

Y'see, we served, went to war, answered the call to defend our freedoms, what we hold dear.  We are the veterans of our nation, and today, I pause, reflect, remember why we went to war in the first place.

War is ugly, but nobody told us to go.  We went in because we felt we had a job to do, to defend our nation from enemies near and far, both foreign and domestic.

A lot of my comrades didn't come back home.  If they did, they came back with eyes, limbs, parts of their bodies missing or forever changed.  They now languish in veteran's hospitals, nursing homes, standard hospitals, with nobody to care for them, pay them a visit; they while away their days in pain-filled misery, wondering if anyone even gives a fuck about them.

Or when we did come back home, we were (or continue to be) spit upon, made to be called "baby-killers" or worse, being charged for killing men, women, and children on foreign soil, when the enemy is using their own men, women, children, even elderly or disabled, as human bombs, killing our soldiers or innocent bystanders--and they hardly get punished for their evil ways.

Instead of appreciating the jobs we did to keep you free, you treat us like second-class citizens, expecting to go in in life with our mangled bodies, messed up minds, and give us pay that wouldn't feed a family of rats, while rich folk like those in congress or the White House live on extravagent saleries and then whine they can't live on x amount of dollars.

Try living on what I'm living on.  I'm lucky if I have money left over once I pay my fucking bills!

You can forget about Christmas or going out to eat (or enjoying other luxuries) for me.  I can't afford it, especially after I pay my bills, or even pay for my medications/doctor's visits, which are supposed to be free to us veterans!

Try negotiating a narrow hallway in a scooter that has a mind of its own or a pair of crutches.  Try standing in line when one is in severe pain that refuses to let go.  Try dealing with a callous staff at the local VA hospital, only to be shunted from one doctor to another, or being told that "we can't help you", after waiting upwards to eight hours before you even see the doctor(s)!

That is my life, what it's like nowadays, and I wouldn't want you to go through it; you couldn't handle it, for one thing.  You are nothing but a bunch of mama's boys (or gals) who don't appreciate nothing, or think of only yourselves.  We don't even exist in your eyes; I see the stares, hear the guffaws, as we, your veterans, march/roll by during celebatory events like the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Veteran's Day!

You don't think it matters to us, or bothers us??  We are here for a reason, and you'd better start thankin' your lucky stars that we are; if it were not for us, you wouldn't be able to enjoy yourselves, live in a nation where you can be, express yourself in any way you see fit, wear what you want without people becoming offended. 

Seems that's part of the problem.  You HAVE forgotten, and you don't even care, especially as far as we veterans are concerned!  We don't even exist in your eyes; you're too busy with your own selves.

Don't you think that hurts??  We are people too, and it's high time you start thinkin' 'bout us, thankin' us for your freedoms, gettin' to know us a little better.  Or better yet, start appreciatin' us, start treatin' us with a little dignity and/or respect!  That's not askin' too much!

So happy Veteran's Day to you; thank you for making this veteran cry.  Again!