This Is Awesome!

First let me say that it feels good to be back and writing my blog.  The following is dedicated the the men and woman of  our country's armed forces that have served to protect us and our country.  Some of the information that I share in this post is from research that I have done.

Veteran's Day is a time to honor those who have served our country in the armed forces.  Up until 1973, the men that made up our armed forces were drafted to do so.  In 2011, a man retired from active service and he was the last one in active service that was drafted.  So, this information tells me that the men and women that make up our armed forces now are completely and totally voluntary.  Can you wrap your mind around that for just a moment?  If these facts are correct then every single man and woman that is serving to protect these United States of America is doing so because they want to.  No one has drawn their name or number and said you 'have to' do this!  Man, that is powerful.

To think that all, yes all of America's armed forces are purely voluntary.  Now, men still must register when they turn 18 to the Selective Service.  This is done in case there is ever a need for combat soldiers.  It is completely random as to how persons are picked to serve if need be.  It is all done by a lottery of sorts.  That way no one can say that the Selective Service System is being partial to someone due to their status in society.  Ever one is on the same level, same playing field and have the same chances as the next guy.  Women are not required to register.  The reason given is not that they are not able to service, but that the registration is for the purpose to prepare for a draft of combat troops.  For now, women are excluded from combat therefore not included.

Failure to register with the Selective Service is a felony and punishable by 5 years of imprisonment or $250,000 fine.  Per my research, no one has been prosecuted for failure to comply since 1986.  Prosecution has not been done for it has been found that it is counter productive, difficult to prove knowing and willful intent.  Most don't register or they register late or change addresses without notifying Selective Services.  Not registering can lead to loss of federal employment, loss of eligibility for federal financial aid for college.

I say all of this information to say this:  THANK YOU!!!!  Thank you so much for the service you have provided to the armed force that you were a part of.  It is partly due to you that people like me can walk freely, speak freely, and live the life of a completely free person that has protection even when we don't know we need it.  Thank you for your service to these United States!

With what little information I have provided here can you even, for just a moment, imagine what type of person it takes to volunteer for the armed forces of this nation?  Think for just a moment of how many persons we are talking about...how many, of their own free will, protect and defend this country so you and I can live a life of freedom!!  Man, that is an awesome thought.  It puts chill bumps on my arms just trying to imagine how many people, men and women, that have done this over the years.  WOW!!

All Americans and all people of other nationalities should be grateful to live here and to have the protection that we do from others that may want to do us harm.  Our country is in need of help to maintain her principles for living free.  We, no I, must be thankful to each and everyone of the men and women that have served this country through wars and disagreements, things that we can't even imagine.

I see my country starting to crumble as it seems that somehow, some way  something or someone is spreading HATE throughout our great nation.  People demanding this or that or to be treated like this or not to refer to some with words that have been use for decades.  Everyone screaming for people to be 'politically correct'!  People saying things about our troops that are aboard.  Yes, I want them to come home but we all must remember that these men and women have volunteered and know from the very beginning that a 'tour of duty' in foreign lands are possible and probable.

Again, I understand that you want your loved ones home, on American soil.  But we cannot lose faith in the fact that there are men and women that want to be in service for the country.  They choose to do so.  And they take pride, lots of pride, to serve their nation.  They take pride in what they do and how they do it for no other nation can say "folks around here can sleep 'peacefully' tonight without the worries that may come from living in a country with no form of armed services.

Today, of all days, is a time for us all to say 'THANK YOU' to those men and women that have served this nation.  It is time to tell those veterans how much you appreciate their service so you can feel safe 24/7.  That you appreciate them protecting and trying to ensure that Americans can go about their daily lives protected and secure knowing that there are men and women that work round the clock to provide them with this assurance.

For me, yes I would love to see out troops come home.  But in reality, I pray that God will protect the men and women of our armed forces.  That their families can find comfort in knowing that they are serving their country because they want to, they believe in what they are asked to do, they are proud Americans that do what I cannot do for myself or by myself.  What an overwhelming thought that men and women I don't and you don't even know, most we will never meet, but they have laid their lives on the line simply to protect these United States of American.  That is absolutely awesome and powerful thought..

I pray that you understand just a little bit of what I am feeling for our Veterans today.  Today is ALL about those that have served.  It is just an awesome feeling to know that people I don't know are working for me to have peace of mind, to feel secure, to feel and know that I am protected, yes, simply put 'THIS IS AWESOME!!!