Friday Cannon Fodder: Veterans Day

Good morning TSFers and happy Friday! Well done on making it through another week. It’s going to be a rainy weekend here in D.C. because of Hurricane / Tropical Storm Nicole blowing up the coast. I hope your weather wherever you are is better.

In the past in D.C. on Veterans Day and over the weekend, we’d have the Rolling Thunder motorcycle ride in and around town, but it has petered out a bit recently. I can’t remember writing about veterans on the site before. Today seems like a good day.

Both of my grandfathers served in the military, and I have extended family members who served. I’m at a bit of a loss for what else to say because military service and “supporting the troops” has been politically weaponized, and I’d rather not go down that road. I will say that from what I understand, we need to do a better job of taking care of our veterans and providing them with the help and services they need in civilian life.

I’ll also point out that Veterans Day is for veterans — that is, all people who have served in the military. Memorial Day is when we commemorate those who laid down their lives in service of our country. Writing that made me smile because I could see my grandmother’s face and hear her voice correcting me on that one. I now know the difference and won’t confuse the two again.

To all the veterans and family of veterans in the TSF community and elsewhere, thank you for your service! I am incredibly grateful that you were and are willing to risk your lives to keep our country and the people in it safe.