I was waiting for someone else to post this to share my two cents, but I'll take the initiative.

VETERANS, THANK YOU. Today is a day no American will ever forget, and no matter how I may (or anyone else) feel about the war, the brave soldiers that have and are still serving overseas deserve a major "thank you". So here's to you t0ken and Joe Mamma, and those of you that I don't know, thank you as well.

My dad nor I will ever forget where we were 11 years ago today. In the Navy, we have what's called Tiger Cruise, where a member of your family or a friend of the same sex can come onboard the ship with you for a few days while we're in transit. Well, I was coming home from my first deployment onboard the USS Constellation - picked my dad up in Pearl Harbor and we were two days away from pulling into San Diego. Well...one morning, September 11th, I was woken up with people talking outside of my rack (bed) about, what sounded to me, like a movie or something...I swear I heard something about a plane flying into a building. I shrugged it off and fell back asleep, thinking I was still dreaming. So, I woke up at my normal time and got ready for another day of work, getting our jets ready for the "air show" that we put on for all the civilians onboard. I got up to my shop and saw everyone sitting there looking at the TV, again, I figured they were watching a movie (they put on LOTS of movies while you're deployed on a ship), and I was about to ask what movie, when I happen to see that they were watching CNN - I looked closer and saw something about a plane flying into the Trade Center. Of course, I sat down and watched as the second plane hit. Needless-to-say, it was pretty much chaos onboard the ship after that. All our flights were cancelled for the rest of the time we were out, and it was mentioned quite a few times that we were about to turn around, head back to Pearl to drop off the civilians and head over to the Gulf. That never happened. On the day we were supposed to pull back into San Diego, the family members of those who were stationed in San Diego (the people attached to the ship - the "airwing", as we're called was from Virginia and Washington state, where I was) were given about a two hour notice to attempt to get onto the base to pick up your loved ones. We had to be escorted through the water to our pier by Navy gunships and Helicopters with guns all over them. My dad still tells this story every year - some little sail boat got "too close" to the carrier and, within seconds, had gunships surrounding him! We didn't play around one bit when it came to our security. Luckily, I made it home without major incident. My wife (girlfiend at the time) wasn't allowed on base to come and pick me up, since she wasn't my wife or anything like that, so after I flew home, I had to have someone drive me home.
That's my story. I'm now out of the Navy, but still get worked up thinking about all of this.

What I thought about the ENTIRE time I read that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Cruise

Geez. Again, thanks for your service, you're one courageous motherfucker.

A little late, but thank you for your dedication and hard work, Veterans. ♥

I waited all day too for a post.
But anyways, thank you<3

I still remember where I was at like it yesterday! I'm happy to serve my country and keep the people I love safe!!

I remember still just dont see the big hooorah about it lol, i mean i do but i dont..its just like Pearl Harbor most of us know and learn about it in history but im sure a majority of us are like eh it happen ok what did we do after that. Everyone born after 99' will care and understand what happen but wont really give two shits. Will it make it into the history books, and talked about? Yeah but its current events so it wont really be "history" for another 10-20years (or so). Im not saying what they did was a good thing or anything like that. And i think the people that serve and protect us are amazing people. But it happen 11 years ago just like Pearl Harbor happen 70 years ago (dec 7th) itll only be a big deal to a few people, and i respect them for that. But it happen in the past move forwards learn from our mistakes (which apparently we havent yet 60 years later (1941-2001)).

PS: Not trying to start anything just imho.

you dont know what your talking about
no disrespect

IMHO you're a douche bag that was used on a homeless prostitutes corn hole. Didn't anyone ever tell you "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"?


Thank you token, Joe, and all the other veterans.