Members of the American Legion have many common bonds, and the Legion would like to hear from you about the nature of those common threads. A passion for community service, patriotic voices, and a bent toward caring about national security. From the trenches of France to the sands of Afghanistan we all have a common bond of having served our nation in time of need.
No one who served in the Military comes out unchanged, be it a two year hitch or a 20 year career.
The American Legion wants to know in 200 words or less how your service in the Armed Forces impacted your life. Was it the discipline,the teamwork, the mission oriented life, or simple fellowship that colored your life today.
Send you submissions to’ “myservice@legion.org” or snail mail to;
American Legion Magazine
PO Box 1055
Indianapolis,IN. 46206
We can also have some fun on this post by hearing from our readers about your Military experience. Would you want your children to serve in the Armed Forces?
You should ask some of the dead how military service changed their lives.
I usually appreciate your intelligence and comments, Leftfield. However, as the wife of a combat veteran, it hurts to hear such a flip remark. Not a day goes by, some days not an hour goes by, that a veteran is able to forget death. They really don’t need you to remind them of the dead. You should ask some of the military how the dead changed their lives. Shame on you.
You know, I am not flip in the least about the millions of dead Vietnamese, Iraqis and Afghans, nor am I flip about the hundreds of thousands of dead and maimed Americans. In fact, I’m quite angry about it. The difference is, I don’t believe there is or was any justification for it. If you need to believe those needless deaths served some greater purpose, go ahead. I can certainly understand why you would need to believe this, given the alternative.
Shame on me? I haven’t sent anyone to their deaths. Put the shame where it belongs.
Must you make up things to support your shameful comments? I never said I believe there was any justification. Thank you so very much for your “understanding,” but you attribute beliefs to me that are totally erroneous.
Dance around it all you want, Lefty, but you endanger our boys with your thoughtlessness. Yes, it would be ducky if there were no need for a military. That’s my personal dream, but I don’t expect to see it come to fruition in this century. In the meantime, we have suicidal veterans. Why would you want to fan the flame that burns their soul?
“I haven’t sent anyone to their deaths.” You sure?
Nonsense. That’s a dead old argument that serves no one but the war mongers. To say that any criticism of America’s war adventurism is “endangering our boys” is just another “my country, right or wrong” piece of poppycock. This is exactly what serves the war-makers who profit from the suffering of soldiers would like you to believe. As long as people believe this baloney, they are free to do it all over again the next time while you wring your hands and watch your friends and neighbors maimed and killed and say, “well, I guess it couldn’t be helped”.
And I am not the cause of the high rate of suicide amongst veterans. Could it just be that an indifferent political regime who used them and then discarded them, along with the fact that no one can be exposed to violence and the ever-present fear of death or injury and not suffer serious psychological trauma, has something to do with it?
If you believe that people like me are a danger to the well-being of active duty military and veterans, and that your government has only the best intentions for them, well you’ve bought the big enchilada.
Nice job Bryson. Did you know that the U.S Veterans Bureau the forerunner to the Veterans Administration was created as a result of the American Legion. One of the tidbits that I enjoy the most is the story about Harry Colmery, past national commander of the Legion who wrote in longhand on hotel stationary the first draft of what later became known as the “GI Bill of Rights” Now how many lives did that change?
You should ask some of the dead how military service changed their lives.
The better question asked is how people like you affected military service! The folks who paid the ultimate price and those who continue to risk it are driven by duty, honor, and the realization that the important things are worth sacrificing for. Duty, Country, Honor made even more relevant in light of Obama’s recent apology tour of 2009.
In short, we don’t take folks like you seriously. But then, in your heart of hearts, you don’t take yourself seriously either, bereft of reason and an over-reliance on your self-proclaimed intellectualism that is your fatal weakness.
surely you are not referring to Brewer. If you knew him, you would be a bit more respectful. Few men have done as much for his comrades as this gentleman, and gentle man.
While I am not much of an ideologue, I am certainly struck by how few grasp the fact that free speech is not only not free, but it never can be free, and yet needs to be protected to be free. Even Mother Theresa understood that to simply be “against” something achieves nothing. When asked if she would march “against the war” She said I will not march against the war, but I will march FOR peace” Marines are for peace too!
Unfortunately, most of the dead have lost their lives in an effort that has nothing to do with freedom. No, the name of the game today is making the world safe for American business interests and expanding the empire.
Second question: Let’s ask the millions of dead Vietnamese and Iraqi’s how American military adventures changed their lives.
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but sympathy for the people who have been in the service and have been used as pawns in the struggle between the various empires. Stop listening to and stop believing the propoganda about “freedom” not being “free”.
Such a usefule blog. thx !!!!
I am always searching online for articles that can help me. Thank you
Useful information like this one must end up being held and maintained and therefore i will place this one on my personal bookmark list! Thanks for this wonderful publish and hoping to post really this!