Words simply fail me

[BluBerry]

My son Thomas in 2007 doing his rehab at Ft Sam Houston in San Antonio after being wounded in Iraq. The local community really does honor and show love for the military community especially the wounded warriors. He was always treated with diginity and respect when out in public. We'll always love and be grateful for the city of San Antonio in this family.

(Image removed from quote.)
 

Thomas looks like one badass motherɟucker.

Thank you for you service Thomas, I am grateful for all you have done for us. 

[Rich46yo]

 

[Shifty]

Thanks guys I'm pretty damn proud of that guy. In fact the wife and I just got home from his house. He and his wife added to our growing grandchildren roll call with a little boy back in December.
So we were busy today doing the grandparent thing today.  


By the way that is one reason the photos of the honor guard and the Airman upset me so. Not just because of my son only, but all the wounded Soldiers and Marines I saw the eight weeks I spent down in San Antonio. I've never been prouder of our young people as I was watching all these young warriors overcome their wounds. Then to see our war dead and MIAs being treated with contempt through photos by current troops.. They deserve better than that. Being a 16 year USAF vet the Airman pisses me off the most. Again I cannot say enough good things about the people of San Antonio.

[Puma44]

Thomas looks like one badass motherɟucker.

Thank you for you service Thomas, I am grateful for all you have done for us. 

Indeed, that picture is the true definition of it.

Additionally, Thomas never lost his moxi as evidenced by the quote on the bottom of his proud Dad's forum page "Haji may have blown my legs off, but I'm still a stud." -SPC Thomas Vandeventer 1st Cav

Like Shifty said, I'm very proud of this generation of volunteers in our military.  To have this weakling example of an Honor Guard member do what she did is beyond disgusting and dishonorable.

<S> Thomas.  Thanks for going the distance!  

[guncrasher]

My son Thomas in 2007 doing his rehab at Ft Sam Houston in San Antonio after being wounded in Iraq. The local community really does honor and show love for the military community especially the wounded warriors. He was always treated with diginity and respect when out in public. We'll always love and be grateful for the city of San Antonio in this family.

(Image removed from quote.)
 

bet some guys here wish they had 1/2 the guts he has, I know I sure wish I had 


semp

[hlbly]

see hlbly, i came to this country legally.  as soon as I could, I  enlisted in the us marines.  I was not a citizen yet,  and yet somehow I had these rights that you speak of.  rights that you so cherish that you even imply that they must be only for the U.S. citizens.  yet we have thousands of legal residents (and a few illegal, but that's another story) that have sworn to defend these rights that you so cherish, but you clearly point out that they dont have.

it's comments like yours that sometimes makes me question how truly people know the rights that they are "so proud to uphold".


semp

Two posts above the one I am quoting , I say there are others. Now as for your statement there hot rod. Do you know anything about Demore v Kim ? You might want to do a little research before you accuse me of not knowing what I talk about. Also a little research into the Patriot Act might clear up some of your misconceptions about who is protected by the Constitution. It is usually wise to know what you speak of before calling others ignorant. Bottom line is semp the Constitution is unclear about the subject. My personal opinion is that the Constitution protects God given rights. Anyone that is in a place where it is the supreme law of the land should enjoy that protection. That is my opinion , USSC holds a different one.

[hlbly]

As for myself I see dead and maimed soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, coast guard, troops on the field of battle and/or trying to repair shattered lives after Protecting our freedoms and ridding the world of tyrants. I also see millions of men and woman who gave up many years of their prime to do the same if called upon. It doesnt matter if they were volunteers, if anything a volunteer service brings us back to the roots of American military service.

Anyway thats what I see when I see the Flag. Sacrifice! And its why I think there should be a criminal penalty for defacing it, and why nobody will ever change my mind.

I seek no understanding or middle ground with those who would harm the symbol of these sacrifices and I feel only contempt and anger at those who would do so. I'd rather see them sitting in a jail cell then appear on Oprah with them to discuss the matter.

As strongly as I felt about it before it has tripled since my own Boy has taken the oath. Thats why I Love Texas and San Antonio area. Now that is a state and a community that knows how to pay honor to the military family and the Constitution.

Rich as i said I see things your way in the most part. We differ in the area that I refuse to ignore the things going wrong in our country. It is why I joined a group called Oath Keepers. I come from a family that has paid the price. At family reunion time the largest group is now the one filled with vets discussing the state of our government. Most of us are very concerned about the disregard of the Constitution by all three branches. The last thing I am going to say on this is, I swore to defend it not just the parts I like.

[hlbly]

Thanks guys I'm pretty damn proud of that guy. In fact the wife and I just got home from his house. He and his wife added to our growing grandchildren roll call with a little boy back in December.
So we were busy today doing the grandparent thing today.  


By the way that is one reason the photos of the honor guard and the Airman upset me so. Not just because of my son only, but all the wounded Soldiers and Marines I saw the eight weeks I spent down in San Antonio. I've never been prouder of our young people as I was watching all these young warriors overcome their wounds. Then to see our war dead and MIAs being treated with contempt through photos by current troops.. They deserve better than that. Being a 16 year USAF vet the Airman pisses me off the most. Again I cannot say enough good things about the people of San Antonio.

Very difficult photo for me to look at shifty. My own time at Ft. Sam Houston is some of the most difficult I have ever faced in my life. The five weeks my mother spent there with me. Is probably the biggest difference in my quality of life<pretty dam good>,and what it may have become. to you your wife and son for all doing the right thing.

[Shifty]

Very difficult photo for me to look at shifty. My own time at Ft. Sam Houston is some of the most difficult I have ever faced in my life. The five weeks my mother spent there with me. Is probably the biggest difference in my quality of life<pretty dam good>,and what it may have become. to you your wife and son for all doing the right thing.

Hlbly thank you for your sacrifice. 

 I can never understand what you guys who are wounded go through. I can say I have never been as inspired in my life was I was being in the presence of guys like you for eight weeks. As for your Mother I do know how she feels. God Bless her and keep her for what she went through and probably in some ways still goes through emotionally. Thank God for the staffs of Brooke Army Medical Center and the Center for the Intrepid for the support they give all of us. Both the service members and their families that suddenly find themselves in an unthinkable situation. Again you have my utmost appreciation and respect.

[hlbly]

Hlbly thank you for your sacrifice. 

 I can never understand what you guys who are wounded go through. I can say I have never been as inspired in my life was I was being in the presence of guys like you for eight weeks. As for your Mother I do know how she feels. God Bless her and keep her for what she went through and probably in some ways still goes through emotionally. Thank God for the staffs of Brooke Army Medical Center and the Center for the Intrepid for the support they give all of us. Both the service members and their families that suddenly find themselves in an unthinkable situation. Again you have my utmost appreciation and respect.

Mine was an injury. Not a wound. Big difference. The level of respect , obligation we have for them is/should be entirely different.

[guncrasher]

Two posts above the one I am quoting , I say there are others. Now as for your statement there hot rod. Do you know anything about Demore v Kim ? You might want to do a little research before you accuse me of not knowing what I talk about. Also a little research into the Patriot Act might clear up some of your misconceptions about who is protected by the Constitution. It is usually wise to know what you speak of before calling others ignorant. Bottom line is semp the Constitution is unclear about the subject. My personal opinion is that the Constitution protects God given rights. Anyone that is in a place where it is the supreme law of the land should enjoy that protection. That is my opinion , USSC holds a different one.

hilbly dove into the ground and started to dig.

 demore v kim is about a legal resident committing a crime and being deported.  however up until he was deported (as it should have been for anybody that commits a crime) his constitutional rights were protected.  including his right to a trial, right to an attorney... his constitutional rights were protected all the way to the supreme court.

so please do point out which of kim's rights were not protected under the constitution?

your personal opinion that the constitution protects god given rights is just that, your personal opinion.  you are entitled to it under the constitution.  just like under the constitution I am entitled to tell you that you are wrong.


semp

[ink]

wow semp......just....wow......

[68ZooM]

My son Thomas in 2007 doing his rehab at Ft Sam Houston in San Antonio after being wounded in Iraq. The local community really does honor and show love for the military community especially the wounded warriors. He was always treated with diginity and respect when out in public. We'll always love and be grateful for the city of San Antonio in this family.

(Image removed from quote.)
 

Thank your son for his service a true hero... My son is at the bremerton naval hospital he's a corpsman doing rehab for alot of soldiers until he gets deployed.

[Shifty]

Mine was an injury. Not a wound. Big difference. The level of respect , obligation we have for them is/should be entirely different.

If you were injured in the line of duty, it is still the same to me.

Thank your son for his service a true hero... My son is at the bremerton naval hospital he's a corpsman doing rehab for alot of soldiers until he gets deployed.

Zoom all Corpsman and Combat Medics are heros in my book. If it wasn't for Medics/Corpsman a lot of guys enjoying their life at this moment wouldn't be here including my son.
So your son is a hero as well in my book. 

Time for a little humor here. A couple of weeks ago a show was on TV about near death experiances and how some people see a light or heaven or hell. After the IED Thomas coded out three times and was brought back three times. So the following weekend when I saw him I asked him if he had a near death experiance when he was wounded. His answer "Hell yeah it was a near death experiance. I died three times dummy"  

[Puma44]

If you were injured in the line of duty, it is still the same to me.

Zoom all Corpsman and Combat Medics are heros in my book. If it wasn't for Medics/Corpsman a lot of guys enjoying their life at this moment wouldn't be here including my son.
So your son is a hero as well in my book. 

Time for a little humor here. A couple of weeks ago a show was on TV about near death experiances and how some people see a light or heaven or hell. After the IED Thomas coded out three times and was brought back three times. So the following weekend when I saw him I asked him if he had a near death experiance when he was wounded. His answer "Hell yeah it was a near death experiance. I died three times dummy"  

That is one tough as nails son you've got there, Shifty.