|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
November 11, 2005Vet admires those who fought earlierTRAVERSE CITY - Like other veterans, Mark Griner endured months away from his family and home while serving in Iraq and Kuwait.But it's the veterans of earlier wars who earned his respect. "They made greater sacrifices than we did," he said. Griner returned to Lake Ann from his tour in June 2004. The staff sergeant with the 1438th Engineering Detachment of the Michigan Army National Guard left military service less than a year ago. He said this Veterans Day is his first as a "true veteran." He wishes more people would use Veterans Day to think seriously about the sacrifices made by those who served the country. "It's very disappointing that most people view it as another day off, another holiday," Griner said. Griner said he especially appreciates the service of older veterans, who didn't have the modern amenities he did when they were called abroad. "You think about those guys, the only form of communication that they had was the mail," he said. Veterans of other wars, such as Vietnam, also were treated "poorly" by some, Griner said. "Everybody in the U.S. military right now has made a commitment to our country, and we should be honoring that," he said. Griner even offered a unique way to do that: "If I had my way about it..., if you are a veteran, we would send you a check for $100 on Veterans Day," he said. Or, at the very least, all veterans should get a day off work just like bankers and government employees, he said. See Related Stories:
|
|
