Article highlights Soldier issues ...

There was an interesting article in my most recent issue of Army Times entitled "23 Things Veterans May Carry For Life." The author, Sarah Sicard, may or may not have intended this article as anything more than a "fun things in the service" kind of thing, but she got me on a lot of these points.

The list of 23 things is prefaced with a short lead-in paragraph that says in most Veteran's closets one is likely to find an old uniform or two (guilty), some dirty caps (guilty), a stack of medical, training, and discharge records (guilty - they always told us to never lose any of these), and some old ribbons and/or medals (guilty). It seems she got me on all of these and I know several of my Vet friends who would also fit this bill (right Dave and Dave!).

So, what about the list of 23? Well, I am certainly guilty of the following on the list:

    #2 (bad knees)

    #3 (the misguided idea that ibuprofen and fresh socks will cure anything) (I would add that 

          rubbing a little dirt on it will fix it).

    #4 (Tinnitis)

    #5 (The ability to sleep anywhere) (I would add - at any time).

    #7 (Old combat boots)

    #9 (Issues with authority figures) (Not so much now though).

    #10 (back pain)

    #12 (a woobie that has seen better days)

    #20 (sleep apnea)

    #23 (a deeply stained coffee mug that I tell everyone is just now "seasoned").

Any Vets checking this post out will undoubtedly agree with these and have a few of their own to add to the list. Some of my additions would be:

    - a strong urge to eat at all times of the day (not much, but more like "grazing") (this goes with #5 above because in the service you never knew when you would get time to do this again).

    - a lot of Vets I know have a strange habit of blowing their nose in the shower (I don't know why, we just do it).

    - becoming irate upon seeing cigarette butts on the ground.

    - the breakfast of champions is really a Snickers bar and a diet Coke.

    - orange Gatoraide is best !

    - telling and retelling stories from service days (never arond non-service people, but always with service buds or "those who were there.")

    - and finally, a deep sense of pride for our service (a pride that lots of people will never understand).

So, thanks Sarah for this article.  It brought back some good, old memories.  It also sent me back to the closet to check on those old uniforms!!

Real heroes don't wear capes, they wear dog tags.

Hooah