My dad grew up in Michigan. He was interested in engineering, and he completed two years of what was then called "junior college," but he was feeling sort of rudderless and left school. The Korean War was going on, so this made him very likely to be drafted, and to his mother's horror, that's just what happened.
Dad tested sufficiently well that he had his choice of specialties, and chose fixed-station radio repair. Accordingly, after basic training, he found himself at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, a place that he'd never have otherwise gone. Follow me below the squiggle for a short illustrated account of how that resulted in the belinda ridgewoodification of the world (or a portion thereof).
Dad and his radio teletype truck
Dad took to the army pretty well. He enjoyed his training, and since he didn't have a girlfriend at home, it wasn't as if he were upset to be taken away. He was actually considering it all a reasonably good adventure.
What happened then might have been predictable on some level, but it was really quite extraordinary on another. Dad had no girlfriend at home because he was kind of a grumpy misogynist. He'd never met anyone that he could imagine spending much time with, and he had often said he had no interest in getting married, ever. But he had a very tall buddy,
who was dating a tall college girl working as a waitress at the Jersey shore for the summer. The buddy asked his date if she knew a short girl for his friend. She did. A blind date was arranged, and it was a lightning strike for both of them. They'd never have met if he'd stayed in Michigan and finished school there, or under a million other slightly different circumstances, but they did, luckily for me.
Then came the tricky part: Dad shipped out to Eniwetok for a year. They each wrote to the other every day. And they had a song, which was everywhere at the time, even in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (or maybe, especially in the middle of the Pacific Ocean):
The back of this picture reads:
Caught on Sat. 21 March 1953, in the lagoon of Eniwetok Atoll on a metal lure. Barracuda, 21¾ pounds, length 46 inches. It took about 20 min. to bring him close enough to gaff.
So what's my point? My point is, my parents were extremely fortunate to have been brought together geographically by the U.S. Army, but they were fortunate in more than that. In those days, draftees did their service and were done and went home in a couple of years. There were plenty of jobs in the civilian world for them, so no one had to stay on in the service unless that's what they really felt called to do. When dad shipped out, he knew that, on a certain date, he would go home, marry his fiancee, and not have to leave again.
Our service members today don't have that luxury. And in the post-Viet Nam, all-volunteer era, they have good reason to feel that most of the society they serve either doesn't like them or doesn't ever think of them at all. They are out doing a dangerous job on our behalf, whether or not we personally would have chosen to send them. They deserve our support.
Netroots for the Troops does a remarkable job every year at turning our emotional and financial support of our troops into gift packages, stuffed with thoughtfully-chosen items our service members need and want, and packed with love and good wishes. None of us like war, but the people fighting our wars are human beings just like us. Please help Netroots for the Troops show those human beings that we on the political left care about them. Here are the details:
Netroots For The Troops Blogathon: February 20-24, 2012
Netroots For The Troops® is holding a blogathon this week to raise funds to send Care Packages to our soldiers stationed overseas. For the first time this year, we will also be sending Care Packages domestically to troops rehabilitating at Veterans Administration Hospitals around the country.
We are asking all of you to support our efforts and to also make a contribution for this worthwhile cause.
We are honored and delighted that Senator John Kerry (D-MA); Democratic Candidate for the United States Senate from Massachusetts, Ms. Elizabeth Warren; and former Governor Howard Dean (D-VT) will be joining us through this week. Many Kossacks will also be contributing their thoughts, ideas, and support during the week.
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Over the years, many soldiers have sent letters to express their appreciation for these Care Packages and even posted thanks at Daily Kos
It was in the middle six months of my assignment in Afghanistan that the packages started arriving. I received an array of things from them… letters, candy, toothpaste, floss, baby wipes, razors, food, socks, books, dvd’s. The list could go on and on. It was amazing. Netroots for the Troops was always there... The packages were a reminder that our country knows about our fight. Every day, because of their support, I knew that if it was going to be my last day, I would be remembered and I would be honored.
Please make a donation HERE. Thank you from the entire 2012 NFTT Team.
Netroots For The Troops® is a project of Netroots for the Troops, Inc., a Virginia non-profit corporation. The organization raises money for the assembly, mailing and delivery of Care Packages to American military in war zones and to provide assistance to military families in the United States. Netroots For The Troops, Inc. is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.
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