Got a seat? Add-a-Vet!

When this adventure started, I made the promise to myself that it was to give back. To be self-sustaining, for sure, but that’s it. Giving back is the key. To that end, on my drive to and from NJ to fetch the new engines, I had an idea for a very simple way to do that.

On may charters that I have personally taken in the past, there have been 4 of 5 anglers, where the maximum allowed was 6. College Fund is similarly licensed for 6 passengers. The last seat or two just goes unused. It occurred to me, why not give that single seat or two away? From there has arisen the idea of Add-a-Vet.

Got an extra seat on your fishing charter or tour? Then let’s add a Veteran to round it out. If you know one, fantastic, bring them along. If you don’t have someone available, I can arrange it. The key will be to keep it at no cost to the Vet – this is, after all, giving back.

I have also started a list of Vets who are interested in being “added”. If you or someone you know is a Veteran, let me know and I’ll add you on the list. I’ll start pulling people from the top, skipping folks if they can’t make a particular trip. Once someone catches a ride, they go to a second list for “repeats”.

With apologies for the long-read, below are some remarks that I gave at a formal Veteran’s tribute event a couple of years ago. I think they set the stage well for this Add-a-Vet program.

IT’S MY SINCERE BELIEF THAT AS AMERICANS, FROM NATIVE BORN

TO THE NEWLY ARRIVED, WE ARE PART OF A LIVING, BREATHING

SOCIAL CONTRACT. IT’S A LOT DEEPER THAN AN OATH. IT’S AN

AGREEMENT TO PUT THE NATION, AND ALL IN IT, BEFORE SELF.

IT’S AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT BUT FOR RAISING THAT RIGHT

HAND, OUR SYSTEM DOESN’T WORK. IT’S ALSO A PROMISE THAT

DRAGS ALONG ALL OF OUR FAMILIES, ALL OF OUR FRIENDS, EACH WITH

WIDELY RANGING DEGREES OF WILLINGNESS, WORRY AND

OUTRIGHT FEAR.

THAT SOCIAL CONTRACT REALLY GETS TO THE HEART OF WHO WE

ARE AS A PEOPLE. WHAT’S THE MOTIVATION TO RAISE THAT

HAND, AND TO SPEAK THE WORDS? I DON’T KNOW. WELL, I KNOW

MY REASONS, BUT THOSE ARE MINE ALONE.

REMEMBERING, AND HONORING, IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE AN

OBLIGATION TO DO EVERY DAY. WE REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES

AND THE BAD, DEPARTURES AND HOMECOMINGS. FOR ME, I

REMEMBER THE BONDS THAT WERE FORGED IN PLACES LIKE

PENSACOLA, FORT BENNING, CORONADO, FORT CARSON, KUWAIT,

IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. ABOVE ALL, WE REMEMBER.

I REMEMBER BEING THE FIRST TO VISIT THE GRAVE OF A LOST

FAMILY MEMBER, LAID TO REST IN FRANCE AFTER LOSING HIS LIFE

AS A WAIST GUNNER IN THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN.

I REMEMBER STARING OFF THE RAMP OF A C-130 MAKING A FIRST

JUMP. INTO THE WATER. AT NIGHT.

I REMEMBER LEAFING THROUGH THREE YEARS OF LETTERS, A

VERY, VERY SMALL STACK, THAT WERE THE ONLY

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MY GRANDPARENTS DURING WORLD

WAR II.

I REMEMBER THANKSGIVING, WITH STOLEN TURKEYS AND NEAR-

BEER IN A MOTOR POOL IN BAGHDAD.

I REMEMBER TRYING ON THE ROYAL CANADIAN ARMY CANVAS

LEGGINGS THAT WERE ISSUED TO MY GRANDFATHER IN 1939.

I REMEMBER VISITING HARMONY CHURCH AT FORT BENNING

WHERE MY FATHER ATTENDED BOOT CAMP, WHILE I MYSELF

WORE THE UNIFORM OF OUR GREAT NATION.

I REMEMBER THE FOURTH OF JULY, ILLEGALLY FLYING THE STARS

AND STRIPES OVER OUR COMPOUND IN SOUTHERN IRAQ.

I REMEMBER HEARING LEGEND OF AN UNCLE’S EXPLOITS IN

VIETNAM, THOUGH HE HIMSELF COULDN'T HEAR MUCH. HE WAS

ARTILLERY.

I REMEMBER LISTENING TO STORIES OF MERCHANTMEN IN THE

NORTH ATLANTIC STANDING ON A DECK WHERE NO PEA COAT

COULD TURN BACK THE WATER AND THE COLD AS THEY WATCHED

OTHERS IN THEIR CONVOY BURN.

I REMEMBER THE PLEADING OF LOVED ONES TO BE SAFE, AND TO

"STAY IN MY PROTECTIVE BUBBLE".

I REMEMBER CHRISTMAS AND TALES OF THE HUNDRED WAYS IT

HAS BEEN CELEBRATED, ON PACIFIC ISLANDS AND IN THE DESERT,

IN EUROPE AND IN THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN, AND AT HOME

WHEN MOM OR DAD WERE IN FAR OFF LANDS.

I REMEMBER, SEEING THE REMAINS OF A BATEAU FROM THE WAR

OF 1812 ON THE BOTTOM OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN AND WONDERING

WHAT KIND OF SOLDIER IT TOOK TO CROSS AN OCEAN, BUILD A

BOAT AND THEN GO TO WAR.

I REMEMBER HOMEWORK VIA SKYPE, AND PHONE CALLS

INTERRUPTED BY ROCKETS.

I REMEMBER MY YOUNG SON, CLINGING TO MY LEG AT THE

AIRPORT, BEGGING ME NOT TO GET ON THAT PLANE INTO THE

UNKNOWN.

I REMEMBER BEING TURNED AWAY FROM A CHOW HALL BECAUSE I

WAS TOO DIRTY. COMBAT CAN DO THAT.

I REMEMBER HANDING OUT BOOKS, PAPER, PENCILS AND TOYS TO

HORDES OF SMALL CHILDREN WHO PERHAPS HAD NEVER

RECEIVED A GIFT.

I REMEMBER STARING DOWN AN ANGRY CROWD IN SADR CITY,

AND BEING GREETED BY THE CHEERS OF THE PESHMURGA.

I REMEMBER FRIENDS SEEING ME OFF, CALLING ME AN IDIOT,

WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES.

I REMEMBER KNOWING THAT MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAD MY

BACK - WHETHER IT WAS A BROKEN WASHING MACHINE OR A

PATIENT BOSS UPON MY RETURN.

I REMEMBER A CHIEF’S MESS LOOKING AT THEIR TWO CHOPS

WITH BRONZE STARS, WONDERING “WHAT THE HELL HAVE WE

GOTTEN OURSELVES INTO??”

I REMEMBER COMING HOME. HOLDING MY PROUD DAD.

I REMEMBER EACH AND EVERY ONE OF MY BROTHERS AND

SISTERS WHO ARE STILL DOWN RANGE, IN IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN,

THE HORN OF AFRICA AND KOREA AND THROUGHOUT THE REST

OF THE WORLD.

AND I REMEMBER THE 109. THE 109 BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO

I LOST IN LESS THAN 9 YEARS AS OUR NATION FOUGHT TWO

WARS. I KNOW EVERY NAME THAT WAS PLACED ON THAT

MEMORIAL WALL. I CAN SEE THEIR FACES, AND HEAR THEIR

LAUGHTER. I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER. WE WILL ALWAYS

REMEMBER.

BUT, WE WOULD NEVER, EVER HESITATE TO DO IT ALL OVER

AGAIN, FOR WE ARE UNITED STATES VETERANS. OUR SWAGGER

MAY HAVE A HITCH IN IT, AND OUR MEMORIES MAY DIM, BUT WE

REMEMBER. BECAUSE OUR WATCH NEVER ENDS, AS LONG AS WE

REMEMBER.