my vote honors a vet

politics aside, remember to vote today. i voted early but my vote honors my uncles KEN and JOHN and aunt LUCILLE as well as the wife's uncles JACK and GENE, and step father JOHN. my family were all ARMY, hers were all NAVY WWII vets. my dads friend MORRIE, USAAF.

also remembered are my dad (NAVY) and uncle RICH (AIR FORCE), KOREAN WAR vets.
dad and my buddy BUSTER a MARINE.

a man i work with ED, is a VIET NAM vet, the sole survivor of a squad size recon patrol.

my best friend growing up STEVE, his dad went from private to general, and led an infantry platoon in VIET NAM.

the guys from work, almost too many to name. ARMY first; SHANE, ROBBIE, JOHN, MO, DONNIE. AIR FORCE; ERIC, BRUCE, BRIAN, PAUL, JOE. MARINE CORPS; RYAN (whose step son just left for MARINE basic), BRENT, AARON, CHRIS. i know i have forgotten some.

my best buddy SKI, from the FIRST GULF WAR.

the WAR ON TERROR; BARRY (who is at officer basic school), DEWAYNE, MARK, and a host of new guys i'm ashamed to admit i only know by last name, which i will not print here. MARK, a kid i attended school with, killed when his bradley hit an IED.

and most recently a young man who's sense of commitment was so strong, he re-upped to go with his team to afghanistan, and has now lost his legs, JONATHAN BLANK. i'm proud to know his mother.

remember our veterans, exercise you rights paid for with their sweat and blood, in war and peace, and vote.

also remember our young men and women in service in your prayers as well as their families.