Dateline: Washington D.C.
November 12, 2007

Today is a “down day,” our first since leaving the S.S. Scurvy in Florida on the third of November. It is a good day for it, as it is rainy and cold outside. This gives us time to plot our future adventures, and as we have a mixture of in-door and outdoor events planned, it is nice to be able to pick and choose over a period of a month. Steve stayed up until midnight last night watching Sunday Night Football, and loves it back here because “Na Futbole” (Russian for “at the football”) is on from early afternoon until REAL late at night on Saturday’s and Sunday’s both. Gives us all day to sight-see and him all night to watch sports. Carol says some things never change, no matter where you are.

Our apartment is nice and functional, and almost everything works. Steve has had to “re-engineer” the combination washer dryer (shades of life in Great Britain a few years ago), and we have photo evidence (see photos at the Veteran's Day Album Google Picasa) of his handiwork, but all else is fine. We are very centrally located, just about 10 blocks from the White House, so we can keep an eye on King George and the Fuehrer over there.

Yesterday was a bright autumn, cool, blue-sky day. The trees are still in full color here as well. It was an emotional day for the both of us. Carol had a chance to visit the grave of President John F. Kennedy, and as it was Veteran’s Day, Steve was able to attend the 25th anniversary celebration of the Viet Nam Veterans’ Memorial Wall, and hear General Colin Powell speak (as well as some other Viet Nam vets who gave awesome talks).

Almost all of the footage and photos for today’s blog are of Veteran’s Day Celebration events, so if that is not your cup-of-tea, be forewarned. However, if nothing else, be SURE to watch the video of the Native American Viet Nam Veteran playing the “Spirit Song” on his flute at Kennedy’s grave site. Steve spoke with him after he finished filming, and the man told him it was a Native American ritual song played by his Nation for the dead to ensure their spirits had peace in the afterlife. He had traveled to Washington D.C. for the Viet Nam Vet’s Memorial re-dedication from his reservation in Arizona, and told Steve he had brought his flute along especially to play the song for John Kennedy simply because “I had a great deal of respect the Man.” It made our day as well!










If you have never seen the changing of the guard or wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before, it is an experience that gives one goose bumps on your entire body. It is SO electric. You are just awe struck by the somberness and respect of the event, and the numbers of headstones in Arlington National Cemetery (we will be going back for the full-day tour). Busloads and busloads of veterans from all of the wars we have had (including one 106-year-old man from World War One), as well as their families and other Americans, began pouring into the cemetery as soon as it opened at 0800. We saw two Medal of Honor recipients present, plus more brass than in the lobby of a Ritz Carleton Hotel. As an addition, the Secret Service people at Arlington were in SWARMS!! It was amazing how many people are there to protect the Vice President. Even with all of the vets there it was search every one and everything. Kind of funny, because all of the S.S. guys (no pun intended, Dick) look the same. Muscle, hard looks and ear pieces.







While it is cool to see the Challenger Astronauts and some of the other “hero” markers, it is not the famous people buried in Arlington that makes such an impact. It is the rows upon rows of simple white markers that represent the thousands of regular schmucks like us who paid the ultimate price for this country, in all of our conflicts since the Civil War (when the cemetery opened). We stood at what Steve calls “parade rest” for 2.5 hours in order to be in the very front row at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for the laying of the wreath ceremony. No talking, no sitting, no gum chewing, no cell phones, NO horseplay allowed! He has waited years to see this event, and it was dimmed only by the fact that Dick the Fuehrer did the honors. He was whooshed in with his 1,000-car escort and political ass licks (see the film clip) and whooshed out right after, and Steve stated that it was a crying shame to see one of losers (the other one was in Texas) who never served (well, Bush did have a uniform, but couldn’t seem to make his National Guard meetings) and do NOT represent all of the veterans who did serve their country to be the one to have this honor (end of his political statement – however, this seemed to be the sentiment of a LOT of veterans from all the wars who were present), but at least Clinton wasn’t there.

The Viet Nam Memorial re-dedication was also an amazing experience. When you watch the video of the thousands of people there, one thinks of all of the anti-war riots and demonstrations that took place on that the Mall during the 60’s and 70’s. It was sort of ironic to see all of the old farts there (many of us who were against the war but did go when we got drafted or because we enlisted), with bald heads, grey beards, rascals, canes, grandchildren and families. This is the generation of Boomers who have now become senior citizens. There was even a large group of ARVN’s at the program. Steve remarked how some of the guys could still wear their jungle fatigues, and how many of them had kept all of that stuff for so many years after the war – Steve’s field jacket and a couple of fatigue (BDU’s for the younger set) shirts are still stuffed in a storage closet somewhere at home, but he told these guys yesterday he was truly sure he “couldn’t get his fat ass in any of them, and had never tried….”

The speakers were excellent, especially a woman vet who was a M.A.S.H. hospital nurse, who expressed a lot of the sentiments about her frustration and anger regarding the country, the military, treatment of veterans from all wars, the politicians, and her desire just to come home and resume an ordinary life Steve expressed he felt so often after he returned to the States after three years overseas. It seems like 30 years changes a lot, especially, when you have time to look at all of our wars, their impact, and the just plain simple folks who make up this country and actually have to fight in them. Click below for the speech from Colin Powell, it will make you cry whether you were in Vietnam or not.




Steve dedicates all of the Veteran’s Day filmed events to his Dad, son Dan, brother Dan, Fred Richard, Sherra Madding and every one else in our family and on our blog list who served in the military. It WAS a day to honor you and your service to country, and it was cool to see it done Washington-style.