Bigskymt,
I understand. For those of you who have never been in a situation such as combat, it is very difficult for a veteran to talk about it. Because he is not understood. It took me many years for this to sink in. And if you ever do visit the wall, especially around the Memorial Day Holiday, you will see many a teary eye from grown men, old men, and hugs abound, some lingering as they each cry on the other's shoulder. So yes, as I write this I'm tearing up, but to get the word out, it is worth it. Remember that "all gave some, and some gave all."
This month the
Run For The Wall takes place. There could be over 250,000 motorcycles riding in
Rolling Thunder on Memorial Day. If you have never witnessed such an event, just be on one of the routes, Northern or Southern, and stand on one of the overpasses as the Run For The Wall comes through your area. I rode in the 2005 Run For The Wall. I cannot begin to tell you the pride I had in our fellow Americans as tribute was given to the veterans both standing and the fallen.
If you have a motorcycle, you don't have to be a veteran, take a ride in Run For The Wall. You don't have to ride the whole distance. You can plan your join points and exit points. (At least you could then - check the web site) You also don't have to have a motorcycle. Maybe a support vehicle, maybe a support stop along the way (think next year)
If you are around the D.C. Area this Memorial Day, it is a site to see.
A thank you to all our veterans and our active duty troops.