Veterans stand proud after serving their country and would do so again

2018 - The year of the veteran - the year is almost gone. But so are many of the veterans.

What has happened to all the strong, young men and women who fought the battles of World War II, Korea and Vietnam?

I saw a lot of them today. I went to the Base Exchange (PX) pharmacy at Shaw Air Force Base. I sat across from the entrance and watched them come in one by one, two by two, no longer marching in cadence on a parade field. They walked slowly, one step at a time, pushing their walker or moving their cane ahead, one step at a time.

I asked myself again, "Where are the strong, young soldiers and airmen and sailors of the wars of just a few years ago?"

I looked around me and quickly realized, "Here they are!"

"Standing proud, maybe bent a little ... after all the years and battles fought ... missing a limb or still carrying a piece of shrapnel somewhere in their body; but ask any one of them if he or she would do it over again, and the resounding reply would be, "YES!"

"I answered my country's call!"

So I tucked away my memories of yesteryear, when I was young and full of fire, looking for excitement in faraway places; I took my place in line ... waiting for my prescriptions to be filled.

TOM WINSTEAD

Christian Golfers' Association

Sumter