I was flipping thru the tv channels tonight, which I rarely watch except for the History Channel or the Shield, and I came across an episode of Orange Co Choppers. I've seen this one before, but not all of it. I stopped and watched because they were making the MIA/POW bike. Being a retired soldier, and having two brothers that served in Viet Nam, a farther who served in WWII, and being a Gulf War vet, I had to watch it. At the end, something must have gotten into my eyes, Lord knows what it was, but whatever it was made 'em water.

I've had something bugging me ever since I got back from Desert Shield and at times it really gets to me. What I'm talking about is the different treatment that we got when we got back from Desert Storm versus the treatment that my brothers and other Viet Nam vets got when they got back.

I remember standing in formation when we got back at a ceremony; our Post Commander standing behind this big podium, extolling our virtues, calling us hero's. Yeah right! We just did what we were sent to do. While I was standing there listening to him, my mind went back close to 20 yrs earlier, when my two brothers returned from Viet Nam. They went thru a helluva lot more than we did, and without the home support that we got. I remember the people that demonstrated against them, calling them names; ridiculing them for fighting. It made me sick to my stomach then and it still does to this day. Those guys are the heros in my book. They didn't loose; they weren't allowed to win! They went thru a heck of a lot more than we did, with poorer equipment. Those guys are the hero's in my book.. black, white, red, dont matter. My heart goes out to each and every one of those guys, and each and every one of them has my upmost respect for the hardships that they went thru, with little or no appreciation from the people back here, that were too cowardly to serve themselves, and have the gall to demonstrate against those that did serve.

To each and every Viet Nam vet, you guys are the Hero in my book. I'm proud to have known alot of them.