Uncle Walter

Today is Veterans Day, where we honor our soldiers both past and present. It's a special day for many of us whose family and friends have served. Whenever this day comes around I think of my Great Uncle Walter (my grandmother's brother, hence my great-uncle).

Uncle Walter served as a Colonel in Vietnam, and commanded a group of U.S. soldiers and South Vietnamese civilians as they fought against a North Vietnamese siege of the village of An Loc, the last obstacle between the NVA and the city of Saigon. For 60 days they held their ground and managed to escape the city when reinforcements finally arrived.

He's moved on from those days. He worked his way up the Army ranks to Lieutenant General, and was featured on the cover of Newsweek magazine in 1984 as the face of the New American Soldier. He taught at West Point and Dickinson College, and has authored countless books and given countless lectures on leadership and honor. He was honored by West Point with the Distinguished Graduate award in 2002.

Uncle Walter has lived in Virginia forever, so throughout my life I've only seen him intermittently. Whenever he came to visit, he always brought gifts and stories. I can remember countless times just sitting in my living room, listening to Uncle Walter. He's one of the greatest storytellers I've ever heard. I love and respect him very much, and I'm proud of the person he has become and the way he has lived his life. So today, November 11, I say thank you to all the Uncle Walter's in this great country. There's no adequate atheistic way to put this, so all I can say is... God bless you all.

Ed. note - props to JC for reminding me what this day's all about