Veterens Day Story

About eleven years ago, my Air Force unit found itself getting on buses and leaving Pennsylvania en route to B.W.I. Airport in Baltimore, MD. I had my discman on and was listening to the cool sounds of Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions for the entire ride. We were en route to Italy and from there, Bosnia.

We got to B.W.I. at around 6:30pm and we boarded a chartered airplane at around 8:00pm that was scheduled to take off at 9:00pm. I was comfortable, in my seat, had my shoes off, and was now listening to the best of the Main Ingredient while (ironically) reading VIBE Magazine, when a shrill voice of anger shot through the cabin... "This is a goddamned outrage! Do you mean to tell me that I, a former Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force who flew jets in Korea and in Vietnam, mind you, cannot be seated on this plane? I don't believe it! THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!"

The man, a retired Air Force veteren, was trying to board what we call a "hop". A hop is one of the priveledges you get for serving your country faithfully, keeping your nose clean, and most of all, staying alive to tell about it so you can yell at some young person who wasn't even born when you were doing this. It means that, if you show certain identification that proves you are retired military, you can be placed on certain planes (provided there is available seating) and flown anywhere in the world for free! It's a perk I have yet to use myself.

The important point I want to make here is "provided there is seating". The attendant tried to explain to the irate man the plane bound for Italy was filled with activated Air Force reservists and Air National Guard troops that were on duty so, he would have to wait for the next available flight (which was the next day... I didn't say this was a perfect perk). Well, he was hearing none of it. He continued to bellow... "I fought in two wars! Two wars! Did you hear me, goddammit? You weren't even born when I was fighting in Korea! Don't you tell me that I can't be seated! I want to speak to your superiors!"

I don't know how many different people came out to talk to this man before he and his wife were physically escorted off the plane but our flight, which was scheduled to take off at 9:00pm, didn't take off until 12:00 midnight! The old man who, at first, seemed amusing and funny had began to become a royal pain after about 10:30pm. I turned to my buddy and said... "Man, I hope I'm not like that when I retire." He looked at me, shrugged his shoulders, and said... "Man, they mostly get two ways... feeble-minded or as evil as can be!" I said... "Well, they don't have to be... I plan to be cool when I get old like that." He looked at me and said... "Nah, not you. You got a bad attitude now and you're young." We both laughed about it but, it was halfway true.

Fast Forward to today... Well, I've been retired from the Air Force for three years now and I'm not old enough to collect my pension or social security yet. Still, someone had to remind me that I was in fact a Veteren yesterday... a co-worker wished me a "Happy Veteren's Day". I looked at her, a little confused, and she said... "You were in the Air Force, weren't you?" I smiled and I said... "Yes, I was, for 22 years, 1 month, and 27 days."

I guess I didn't think I was a veteren because I never fought in any wars and I suppose I should consider myself extremely blessed. However, I am a veteren and my wife and I celebrated by eating a free meal at Applebee's tonight, where vets eat free on Veteren's Day. I actually saw a couple of guys from my old unit there tonight. You know how it is whenever somebody invokes the word "Free".

I don't think I will ever be that old man on the plane. First of all, I was never as high up as a Lieutenant Colonel so, I don't have that arrogance... that ego that makes me think I can just bully my way on a plane full of active duty men on an actual mission. Second of all, I never in my entire 22 years, 1 month, and 27 days in the military did anything close to heroic so, I won't be telling some young buck one day... "Do you know who I am? Do you know what I did before you were born?" Not a damn thing! Most importantly, my mother made sure that I understood how to read. You can be seated on a plane as long as there is "space available"! Ahhhhhh, those little fine details.