Today ,while attending my Disabled American Veterans meeting Chapter 55 of Simi Valley, I had the honor of meeting a true hero.. A resident of Simi Valley, California, Larry Faulkner,a veteran of both WWII and the Korean War, had some serious stories to share. The chapter listened in awe, as Faulkner shared stories from "D-Day." A 22 year veteran of the United States Army, some of his medals include, three bronze stars, two silver stars, three purple hearts and one distinguished service medal; not to mention other honors. Faulkner was able to beat the odds, and return a Disabled American Veteran to a grateful country. His war stories gave all of us goose-bumps as we listened. We were all choked up as he continued to educate us regarding his past battles and his battle with the Veterans Administration's rating system. A soldier that deserves 100 percent to this day has 60 percent. His advice was, "never take no for an answer." This year Faulkner will star in a documentary called, Operation Torch, directed by Mike Fratecelli. A film the will air on one of the historical channels. Faulkner represents a man that refused to let the enemy take him down. I never felt so proud in my life to shake his hand.

They weren't called "The Greatest Generation" for nothing. I wish we were more like them...

As someone born in the late 60's, with all due respect to Tom Brokaw, I'd like to put my generation in there for consideration. It's not a generation that stopped the Nazis, but little things like desegregated schools (to say nothing of drinking fountains) and educational and professional opportunities for women and racial minorities make me, dare I say it, just a wee bit proud of my cohort as compared to those mid-20th century chaps (nothing against any of them, of course).

Check your dates, you are talkin' mid sixties ya hippie.

That's something they wouldn't do - put their own generation up for "consideration"... Actually, it was probably those same people who desegregated schools, etc...

My dad is a WWII Vet, and his dad was a WWI vet. I have so much respect for them, and all veterans! I also believe that they are "The Greatest Generation"!

Regan

Real heros don't wake up saying to themselves, "I'm going to do something heroic today." They just find themselves in the situation and respond. That's what makes them so cool.

My particular generation was responsible for creating the demand for organizations such as MADD, SADD, NA, and the like. While that may not be too cool, we are nonetheless darn proud of ourselves.

For today's generation, here's hoping somebody accidentally finds a way to successfully (read: inexpensively) get us away from using fossil fuels. Cheap energy is also very cool.

I called up a talk radio station today and preached to the choir.

I feel like I did my part.

O.K., The Wife said I would catch a lot of flak over this but the hell with it.

To ALL VETS, a Big Thank You! Thank You for signing up to protect our country and all of us from invasions foreign and on our own soil.

Thank You for giving us the freedoms we have today such as enjoying this forum and being able to do what we want to do on a daily basis without fear.

Thank You for being there in times of war and in times of peace, giving us the peace of mind that we are being well protected, not for money, but for a love of a great nation and the people who live here under this flag. Remember that these colors Do Not Run!

Now, if the windbags in Washington would get off their asses, maybe our disabled Vets would get the proper care and help that so many need. It is a disgrace how so many vets are treated today, they gave us their all, yet they seem to have been forgotten by the system.

You will not see a vet ask, they are too proud, but we as a nation owe it to them to see that they are taken care of both mentally and physically. And this should come before bailing out mortgage companies and banks and car companies.

Anyway you get my point.
All the best
Marty