Anthony Hamilton
Once a year, in early November, there is a holiday set aside for America to honor those of us who basically “wrote a blank check, payable to the United States of America for an amount up to, (in some cases) our lives.”
Fact is, even though you may agree with the President’s views, as a servicemember, you have still taken an oath to defend the country whether you agree or not with what the country is trying to accomplish, courtesy of your service, at any given time.
Veteran’s day is a wonderful time to be a Veteran. Here in Texarkana, if you are a vet, you will have every opportunity to eat well, as most of the restaurants basically roll out the red carpet for us on Veteran’s day.
The benefits reaped vary by restaurant; some like Outback, Longhorn and Buffalo Wild Wings offered a free snack. Hooters offered a free entrée, yet others, such as Applebee’s and Texas Roadhouse offered veteran’s menus that consisted of full-meals. Golden Corral offered vets a buffet.
Yes, personally I love to eat, and for the first time in over 10 years, I celebrated Veteran’s day by making the rounds. I visited Hooters early for some chicken wings, Texas Roadhouse in the afternoon for a steak dinner, and a nightcap courtesy of Golden Corral where I happened to run into our veteran’s representative Robert Hernandez. It was definitely a welcome break from having to cook.
Another great thing about these meals is running into people that you may have served with and for whatever reason, you haven’t seen for years. It’s always fun to reminisce a little, as there are fun times in the military along with hard work.
As someone who spent almost 24 years in the United States Navy, I don’t always feel as though my service is appreciated. I’ve been homeless on more than one occasion for long periods of time, and despite having been healthy when I arrived at MEPS Shreveport back on March 9, 1985. I have a slew of medical problems now, and it’s always a stomp down, drag out affair when a claim is put in for disability. However I applaud them for giving me this opportunity to get (educationally) rehabilitated.
Despite all of the negative things I endure, the Veteran’s Day rewards are a reminder that there are those who appreciate all the family events missed, marital strains that many of us endured, all the way to not being at the bedside of a dying relative, also the nonsense bureaucracy that a wounded vet is guaranteed to go through upon returning home. To REALLY understand the commitment of America’s veterans you must wear the boots, or be a wife or child of a vet to understand the toll that it can take on them.
I am personally thankful for the Veteran’s Day rewards, because that’s the one time of the year when I realize that many really do appreciate our service.