Forgotten? Never.

As I raised our flag this morning in honor of Veteran's Day, I was once again reminded of my dad’s anguish that fall day in 1971.

Just home for a few days after becoming an officially minted “medic” at Fort Sam in San Antonio, I remember my dad talking with me. I was taken back... shocked... by his question because he had never mentioned his combat experience to me.

He had tears in his eyes when he asked me, a kid of 21 with no combat experience and no real medical training, if it could have been possible for him to have saved his best friend who had been shot in the chest while they manned a machine gun against a German Army attack. He propped his friend up in the back of their foxhole and kept firing the gun as they were nearly overrun. When he looked back a few minutes later his friend had died.

Overcome with empathy and love for my hero father, I knew he was suffering a traumatic loss he would never forget. He believed he could have done something more to have saved his friend.

To this day I cry for my father.

(I believe this incident occurred during the Battle of the Bulge, WWII. Dad's unit, the 80th Infantry Div., was one of the units fighting to relieve the 101st Airborne Div., which was surrounded and besieged in the City of Bastogne.)

(This article was originally published, 4 Sept 2012, following the Republican National Convention, when Gov. Romney claimed his "success" was totally his own doing.  - RB)

Being There.3 World Needs Your Help

Greatest... Silent... Boomer... GenX... Millennial... GenZ... no matter your generation, your world needs you now more than ever.

Being There.2

Don't let them take another life... your baby's life. Instead, make the life-affirming choice... for Peace.

Random Acts of Kindness.6

It’s Friday!

Today’s random act of kindness is a little different from those I’ve posted in the past. This one is about bravery under fire and extraordinary courage.

Forty-eight years ago a helicopter pilot and his crew put their lives on the line at Song Tra Cau, Vietnam to bring 44 U.S. Army comrades out of harm's way.

“Under heavy enemy fire, Major Kettles selflessly put his life on the line to save his fellow service members,” said Peters, a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. “(His) actions exemplified the valor, grit, and honor that makes our military the best in the world.”

Defense Secretary Ash Carter said that while Kettles’ actions entitled him to the Medal of Honor, by law, the medal can only be awarded within five years of the valorous act for which it is being awarded, unless Congress waives the time limit.

Michigan Representative Debbie Dingle and Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow introduced legislation to waive the time limit today.

Go here for the whole story by Todd Spangler in the Detroit Free Press.

Being There

Choose life... if not for you then for your loved ones.

Celebrate a Life-Affirming Choice

Today we offer a special treat...
A chance for you to celebrate your life...
with those who made their life-affirming choice to serve for you and your loved ones so you could have your turn with life, liberty and happiness. RB

16th Annual Meridian Veteran's Ceremony
Meridian School, Grosse Ile, MI
9am, 11 Nov 2015
By David L. Dyer

As a member of our local VFW Post 7310 I take great pleasure in announcing something that has become a tradition at Meridian Elementary School. That of course is what is now known as the 16th Annual Veteran’s Day Celebration.

A couple of years ago I traced this back to it’s roots. Here is what I learned:  With Veteran’s Day approaching in the year of 2000, a woman named Judy Ventro wanted to do something to honor all veterans which would include her father Robert Wilson who is a veteran of World War II. Many years had passed and Veteran’s Day would come and go and be checked off the calendar as just any other day. Not realizing she was planting a seed that would grow to what it is today, Judy, who worked as a secretary at Meridian teamed with a colleague, Jo-Anne Gronlund and together they came up with a plan that honored not only Robert Wilson but all Veterans as well.

The next year came 9/11 and with the support of the entire community, a very moving event came about. This has continued every year since. I visited the school in September shortly after school began and the first person I saw was Denise Sertage sitting at her desk. When she saw me, her first words were “It is time for Veteran’s Day.”

Yes, a lot of time and extra effort are put into the preparation. I must cite the musical talent of Barbara Conroy. A very special thank you to the principal, Linda Solano and all the new personnel that have replaced the old throughout the years and have kept this tradition going forward. I would venture to say: “If they reach out to just one more person than the previous year, all of their efforts would be well worth it.”
I get goosebumps just walking with all the veterans through the center of that room surrounded by hundreds of children applauding our every movement.  It is heartwarming to know that these children at such a tender age are learning what Veteran’s Day is all about and how they must remember all those whose lives were taken to the horrors of war so we can live ours in ways of our own choosing.

I will close with these words:  So come out Grosse Ile, MI you are all invited to this production that brings not only the veterans but the entire community together.  It will be held at Meridian School on Wednesday, November 11, at 9am.

Following this will be our annual VFW Ceremony at 1PM at VFW Post 7310 on Macomb Street, Grosse Ile, MI. You are invited. Refreshments will be provided. Contact Dave: davidldyer@gmail.com

One-Winged Hawk

Early one morning before sun appeared to light the darkness, I walked a path into a beautiful glen.

I heard the mocking cries of crows as I approached closer. Then, out of the darkness, I saw a group of cages, each protecting wounded birds.

The occupant of one cage, the last one, was the subject of the crows’ vengeance. Several were standing atop the cage while others were flying near by — all screaming mocking calls.

As I grew closer the crows flew off.

In the sudden quite I approached the cage, at first seeing nothing inside. Then something moved and I caught a glimpse of white and brown as hawk slowly moved toward me.

I spoke to hawk and asked her why the crows were harassing her — crows outside — hawk defenseless and imprisoned.

She gave me no answer as we stood together in the early morning quiet… me, a defender and her, a prisoner.

I asked her again for the crows’ ire. Again she gave no response; but then she slowly turned on her perch, revealing that she had but one wing.

Some time later I emerged from a Native American Sweat Lodge. In near exhaustion I made my way home, collapsing into a deep sleep next to my bed.

I dreamed I was walking a path high in the mountains in the southwest desert. I was fearful that I would make a misstep and plunge into the deep abyss below.

Hawk came to me, there in my moment of doubt. She had grown her wing back and landed next to me. Looking deep into my soul she told me not to fear, take my next step and stay my path.

All will be right.

To this day hawk is with me. At times she comes to me in my dreams, filling me with her wisdom and strength. At times of decision making I look for her, knowing she will be there, somewhere close by – her, a defender and me, no longer a prisoner of my fears.