This blog has always been an intensely personal accounting of my experiences. When I was in my twenties, I was going to school at Wayne State University. Completing 25 percent of my undergraduate work each of the four years, I received a student deferment after registering for the draft a my local Selective Service office on or about my 18th birthday. The ongoing war in Viet Nam was a very unpopular conflict at this time in the country. There were loud and sometimes violent protests against our government and this action that went on till 1972 when Nixon ended the conflict. There were approx 58 thousand American deaths approx 153 thousand wounded in action with our troops. The soldiers that returned were treated with disdain by many. No ticker tape parades to be found. Hopefully they found or returned to jobs they left stateside.
I should have been with them, not in the classroom. I was not a privileged guy only coming from a working class background with employed parents getting by but not of means. Later I got a high lottery number in the draft lottery So on days such as this one, I have very mixed feelings, some of guilt, some of remorse and general sadness as to the treatment of these veterans . I am glad the military are treated with the gratitude and respect they are due in today's America. The VA healthcare has vastly improved as well as the educational benefits. Two of my kids are Navy vets and had their higher education paid for. I have always been proud of their service. My third son, Alvin is overseas as of this writing. I really miss this wonderful guy.
Honor these men and women that selflessly served our country. It's important.
all for now
stay safe
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