This is my brother, who served during the Vietnam war. According to family legend, he was the only survivor from his squad. I don't know if this is actually true, because as far as I know, he never spoke about his time there.
And this is my grandpa (on Mom's side, no relation to the guys above). He's the scrawny little guy on the front left. As far as I can tell, he was a tank gunner during WWII -- probably because he fit.
Thankfully, all 3 of them made it home safely -- unlike many of their friends and fellow soldiers. So today, just a moment of thanks for Dad, Grandpa and my brother, all of the soldiers who fought by their sides, those who came before them, and those who followed in their footsteps. May their sacrifices never be in vain.


