Conversations With Veterans And What I’ve Learned From Them

You Can Learn More From A Veteran Than Most Others

I met Dan at Coffee With A Cop a couple of months ago. I noticed his hat from afar. I always notice veteran hats. I come from a long line of veterans, in every branch I stem from. His hat was intriguing, though. He had some things I hadn't seen before. I saluted him from a distance, which I have no right to do. I've never served our country in any way other than voting. If you can get a veteran to talk about their service in any way, consider yourself lucky. This is very personal and private to them. Dan didn't give me much, but it was probably everything he had to give. Dan's a Vietnam veteran, a rarer moment to find these days. In a country torn by many things, Dan has seen real problems. He's fought for greater issues. He's accomplished bigger things, as commemorated in the Purple Heart on his hat. He's had far fewer choices and opinions than the younger generations have been allowed to have. At 19, he was drafted, a process in which a number is drawn, and if it's yours, you're going to war. No matter what. Dan went to war. He wanted to work in maintenance because he thought it was the safest place to be. Somehow, he ended up a helicopter crew chief, flying choppers across Vietnam. Dan saw some of the worst moments in our country's history. The best part of what Dan said that morning was that he spoke of how beautiful the country of Vietnam is. A man who saw that country at what may have been its worst still managed to find the beauty in it. I sat with Dan for quite a while, having coffee, chatting about life. Our conversation was personal, but by the end of the first hour, I was grateful to know Dan. I also learned that Dan likes to build things, physically and metaphorically. Dan and I had built a group of new friends at our table. Conversation was flowing, people were interacting, fellowship was happening. Aside from a few pictures everyone took and the fact that we were doing a live radio show, phones were not out. People were playing basketball, ordering coffee, and at our table, telling stories about their infantry. Our community was interacting, time seemed to slow down, and it was such a fun morning. Veterans are the keepers of our freedom, having fought blindly for our country, for many things, including my very right to write this article, reminding you how special our Veterans are. There's no greater way to learn than listening to a veteran. I encourage you all to meet a Dan in your life. Thank you for my freedom, Dan.