Today I was listening to the radio while driving through Chattanooga. People were calling in to say we should turn our headlights on because of 9-11 and some even suggested they make 9-11 a national holiday.
We have some mighty good people living in this area and I feel for the folks were killed or injured in 9-11 just like they do, but if we make 9-11 a national holiday it would sure be a slam on the servicemen who where killed at Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, Battan, Belgium, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.
They died fighting for our country. They weren't working for a big salary and going home every night.
We didn't make Dec. 7 a holiday and when those servicemen got killed their families didn't get a million to two million dollars either. They got six months pay which was just a little over a hundred dollars in some cases. Seems like when servicemen get killed little is said about it but let something happen to civilians and everyone seems to want to do something. It just doesn't seem fair does it?
I say if we make 9-11 a national holiday we should first make Dec. 7 a national holiday. When those 241 marines and navy men were killed in Beirut, Lebanon they were there doing a service for their country. What did we do in honor of them? We pulled out and forgot about it a month later. Some will say that is not the same I guess but to me and to them it is the same. Our servicemen do so much for so little.
At election time those running for office say nice things about our servicemen but when it comes time for a cost of living increase or better health care they can come up with a million reasons to not raise it or raise it very little. All they want to do is appoint a committee to see if it is needed or wanted. Where is the free medical and dental for life for military retirees? It was in our contract but was changed in October 1956. Now we pay for Medicare and make co-payments for drugs. Contracts mean very little when it comes to our military.
Pray for our servicemen, for their safety and that they will be able to return home soon.
Max R. Payne
DCC USN Ret.
paynemax@bellsouth.net