Dead Heads in the Military

Posts: 4438
Joined: 05/26/07

Posted: November 9, 2007 - 11:25am

The upcoming Veterans Day and some posts on the subject have reminded me that, counterintuitive though it may be to the hippie-dippy stereotype, a whole lot of our brothers and sisters on the Bus are now serving or have served in the military.

If you're one of 'em, or your family and friends are, please post here!


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Here's a poem that will bring a tear to your eye...

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A Soldier's Silent Night

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,

IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,

AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,

NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,

ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,

A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,

I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,

CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,

NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?

CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,

OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,

AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,

BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,

ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,

I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY;

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,

"SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,

MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,

I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL

AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,

THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,

WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

Run silent - run deep

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My son Tyler is a machinist's mate on the USS Ohio. He splits his time with shore duty in Silverdale WA and Guam, where the submarine is currently doing patrols from. He enjoys all kinds of music, including Grateful Dead, Ratdog, and other jam bands touring now. He's looking forward to becoming a civilian in the summer of 2009 and going to school!

Military

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Those dead heads that are in the Military are the best. I have nothing but respect and admiration for those serving our country. Veterans Day and Memorial Day are the two most important Holidays in this country, in my opinion. Without your efforts we don't have our Freedoms. To all those Heads of have served past and present - Thanks.

Welcome Home

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Welcome Home... two words that convey my heartfelt thanks to those who served in the various wars our country has participated in during my lifetime.

I enlisted in the Air Force in 1966 to keep from being drafted into the army or marines and hoped to stay out of Viet nam. Initially, I thought I had because I drew a three year tour to Bermuda after tech school, but six months later, the military decided to close the base, so me and this other fool (Fraternal Order Of Lunatics) decided that since it was relatively quiet there then, that we might as well get it over with and so, we volunteered for Viet nam... and not surprizing at all, they sent us.

I served my four years and got out, went back to school and got on with my civilian life. Sometimes it seems like just yesterday, other times it seems like the distant memory it is.

I encourage all my brothers and sisters who also served to sign up with the VA for your health benefits. Do NOT believe the hype you hear from the media. The service and care I receive from my local clinic is far far superior to what I used to get from my high priced HMO.

So again... let me extend to you, my heartfelt...

Welcome Home...

OBTW

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OBTW, if you served in Viet Nam, and aren't with the VA yet, do NOT hesitate. Seek out your local clinic and sign up now. Get your Agent Orange Protocol testing done.

I had thought erroneously that they began using it after my tour , 67-68, was over... no... they started it in 1962. I had also thought it was only used in the jungles of the north, no... it was used all over Viet Nam, so if you set one foot in country, please... get your keister down to your local VA clinic and get tested. There are a plethora of diseases they atribute to AO exposure and will treat them all for free... and they will give you compen$ation for it.

Cousin Jeff

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My cousin Jeff recently joined the army. he couldnt get into college and wanted to become either a firefighter, EMT, or a cop, and the best way to get into those professions is enlisting. he isnt a dead head, but i still think he needs our prayers and best wishes. the scary thing is he knows this war is bull shit but he chose to enlist neway because he had no choice.
Peace,
The Kid

Veterans

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my hubby is a Vietnam Veteran...............

THROW DOWN YOUR ARMS AND COME

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WE SAY : MAKE LOVE NOT WAR

a forum for and about my bro's and sis's

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whose idea was this? thank you so much! as alot of folks in the chat room kno, i am retired navy. i have gotten nuthin' but positive feedback from every deadhead i have ever met, i havta thank the wonderful people at gdts...they always helped me get tickets when i was at sea and could not make mail-in dates. most of all i must thank ruby (also known as "calico" to alot of military folk) you are an angel, and dear frankie for those 4th row center seats so many years ago at shoreline. my boy was a little guy then and got to share someone's b-day cake....................g.m thanx for that poem "a soldier's silent nite". will every one please say a prayer for our new generation of vets struggling far from home, weather they belong there or not.

Deadhead Paratrooper

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Good ol GD

I have been in the Army 17 yrs now and have found a few other ol heads. After touring the country with the dead and seeing that the purple mountain majesty is for real and so many other things I/we did seen experienced and so on. I beileved in defending this great nation so that others could have or so closely have related FUN and life. I joined the Airborne and love it jumping from a perfectly good airplane is an experience, like charging the gate at red rocks or jumping the wall in the meadowlands getting that last second ticket for free. I think that military heads may have a greater appreciation for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and FUN. I am dissapointed that I missed quite a few shows from 92-95 but I was doing a job. I will retire in three years and plan on hitting the road again for a while. I do get to catch some fest now and then. Anyway If there weren't those that do what we do others would not live the way they do. peaceful and free. There are those that are so anti military radical that they forget where their right to be as they wish and say what they want came from. So for all grateful people everywhere wave that flag.

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