Semper Fidelis

By December of 1969, Congress was desperate for more cannon fodder to sacrifice on behalf of Nugyen Van Theiu, the President of Viet Nam. So they instituted a draft lottery and I won third place! My lottery number was three. At the time, I was in college studying sororities and my grades were suffering consequently. I was a prime target for the draft. 

In January of 1970, Uncle Sam let me know that my student deferment was revoked and I was reclassified 1-A. I was going to be in the army in the very near future. The only control I had over the circumstances was to deny Uncle Sam his draft and enlist in another branch of service. Because I was enrolled in college, the Air Force would put me in a deferred enlistment program, allowing me to finish my semester of college and report for duty in August 1970.  I signed up.

Near the end of that semester, one of my fraternity brothers, Kent, returned home on leave from the Marines. As it turned out, his sister was getting married the week after he was to supposed to report back for deployment to Viet Nam. During our discussion, he mentioned that the Marines would extend his leave by one week, if he could recruit another person to sign up. I told Kent I would go sign up for him and I did. The recruiter arranged for Kent's extended leave, and I signed up to be a Marine ... on the delayed enlistment program. 

Kent attended his sister's wedding that summer of 1970. By the time the Marines came looking for me, I was already serving in the U.S. Air Force. Like so many people, I lost touch with most of my college friends. My career took me all over the eastern states. Not long ago, I returned to my home town to settle into retirement. I recently ran into a former fraternity brother and we began thinking about a reunion. That's when I found out, 44 years later, that Kent never made it home from Viet Nam. 

Today is Memorial Day, 2014 and I cried thinking about Kent and the other 58,000+ men and women who died in Viet Nam. However, I have never been more proud of outsmarting Uncle Sam in 1970. 

Semper fidelis, Kent. Semper fidelis.

Royal Dun

A 21-Gun Salute to Our Veterans

Today is Memorial Day, 2014. Across the street from my home, there is a community cemetery, and every year, our township hosts a small parade and ceremony to honor those citizens who have fallen while defending our nation. We sometimes forget that our military is mostly comprised of our youngest and strongest citizens. Our nation's young men stand and take their turn to defend our nation as I did when I was their age. 

This year, the band played the anthems of all the branches of military, the local dignitaries gave their speeches, and someone read President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Finally, a National Guard squad fired off a 21-gun salute. They did not do it properly. 

Very few people, including veterans know how to execute a proper 21-gun salute. We have become accustomed to seven men or women in uniform firing three volleys of seven shots, but a proper 21-gun salute is comprised of four volleys. 

The first volley is a single shot. One rifle firing the first shot of a new nation born in defense of individual freedom. Two volleys of seven shots come next to represent stability and unity of all. The fourth volley of six shots represents the missing man volley in honor of those who gave their lives for us. All together there are 21 shots: 

1 ... 7 ... 7 ... 6

Enjoy your family today. Your freedom to do that has been purchased by many young men and women who will never have the same opportunity.

Royal Dun