Video. Vietnam Veterans - Gone But Not Forgotten.

An MH-60S Seahawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) Eight Five dumps water from a 420-gallon extinguishing trough Oct. 23, 2007, onto of one of the many areas in San Diego County, Calif., suffering from an ongoing wildfire. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chris Fahey, U.S. Navy.

This story was published under my by line on www.helium.com on 10/16/07. The content has been modified from the original to account for the fact that you veterans are a pretty smart bunch!

The US Navy is the most effective tool of diplomacy in the world. In my twenty years of service I served four ship tours, three of them on aircraft carriers. These multi-billion dollar ships represent an enormous investment of American taxpayer dollars. Are they worth it? Well, I was always awed by their size every time I reported for work. Walking along the pier to the after brow I got the impression I was walking next to a large starship; something like an Imperial cruiser from STAR WARS. But I wasn't the only one blown away by the size. Every visitor I brought on board for a tour was equally impressed.

Video. We're all waiting for our soldiers to come back home again! God Bless and may they come home safe.

I guess with all the money being spent on developing high tech weapons that don't make it to the battlefield, our soldiers have to improvise, adapt, and overcome.

"Remember Me" Video - Reminds us that the people fighting and dying in the war are our brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers and that they need our support. Song is "Pacific Wind" by Ryan Farish.

I feel good inside when I see the Bad Guy die. It goes back to the western movies of my youth. I liked it when the cavalry rides over the hill and the Indian got blasted off his pony. Even in the one-on-one showdown in the town’s main street; I cheered when the bad guy grabbed his gut and folded over like a cheap card table. Of course, it bothered me when one of the Good guys gets it in the movies. Who can forget Sgt. Stryker getting shot in the back by a Japanese sniper in THE SANDS OF IWO JIMA, or when Jim Brown got cut down by a Nazi in THE DIRTY DOZEN?

I took this photo at a homecoming for soldiers returning from Iraq to Fort Campbell, Labor Day week-end 2006. My newphew (through marriage) came home on this flight; he recently returned for his third tour.

A sincere video thank you for your service, because "you fight for me".