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Message: <blockquote data-quote="T. MIKE SMITH" data-source="post: 4360182" data-attributes="member: 44552"><p>I did not serve, and it is one of the biggest regrets in my life. My dad was a 32-year Army vet and was at the Battle of the Budge when Germany surrendered. There was a point system you had to reach to go home, and he was short of that. The hope of ending the war caused his unit to be reassigned to Japan and they were told to pack up to ship home, regroup and ship out for the Pacific Theater. Fortunately, the A bombs were dropped, and he didn't have to go back in. I was born at Ft Sill and knew nothing but Army my young life. All of my 3 brothers served. I graduated in '74 when the Vietnam era was drawing to an end. A lot of the guys I worked with were in the Air Guard and thought that was a good place to serve. The guard was so full of people by that time, they were in less demand. I had a great job making great money and getting married, so I didn't serve. My dad, for all the years he was with us, would never pass up a service person needing a ride somewhere. He would even take them to their base if they were running late getting back. I can remember traveling to Mississippi every summer and sometimes at Christmas to see my folk's families, a 16-hour trip might be 20 cause of the detours. Thank you all who spent time protecting this country. For whatever her faults are, I still love it.</p></blockquote><p></p>