XBradTC

There was a lot of hubbub a week or two ago about one of the candidates for the Republican nomination calling into question whether or not a serving Senator was a combat hero or not. IMHO, the Senator is a war hero, not because he was shot down and captured, but because of his actions after that event. That having been said, I believe the Senator is a lousy politician and I will not shed a tear when he is no longer in office. End rant.

So, Juvat, if getting shot down does not automatically make someone a war hero in your book. What does?

Funny, you should ask.

Back when I was a kid, and the Vietnam War was going on, my Dad was a T-38 IP and Flight Commander at Webb. Back in those days, Big Spring was pretty much a cattle and oil town without a lot of social activities. The Officer’s Club was a big attraction, but so were Dinner Parties. The guys in Dad’s Flight were either FAIPs (first assignment IPs) or had been Fighter Pilots before. The Fighter Pilots had been in Vietnam on previous assignments. The Students and IPs next assignment was almost guaranteed to be in Vietnam. Discussion at the Dinner Parties was about the war.

I would make myself useful by “tending bar”. Running for Beer, Making Old Fashions, Gin and Tonics and Martinis. As an aside, this training stood me in good stead in college, as I worked as a bartender.

via Chant du Départ: A Full Day’s Work..

Juvat tells a story of a great warrior. Go read the whole thing. Heck, go watch the video!