A Tribute to the Fallen

[Edstock]

To all those who never made it back . . .

 

 

Terry Kelly - A Pittance of Time

 

On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a drug store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the stores PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.

 

Terry was impressed with the stores leadership role in adopting the Legions two minutes of silence initiative. He felt that the stores contribution of educating the public to the importance of remembering was commendable.

 

When eleven o'clock arrived on that day, an announcement was again made asking for the two minutes of silence to commence. All customers, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his young child, showed their respect.

 

Terry's anger towards the father for trying to engage the store's clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, A Pittance of Time. Terry later recorded A Pittance of Time and included it on his full-length music CD, The Power of the Dream.

[suv_guy_19]

You beat me to it this year.

 

This is Canadian, but it certainly gets the point across: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiaVLAPEF4I...feature=related

 

Remember the fallen. Lest we forget.

 

Edited November 11, 2009 by suv_guy_19

[Mark B. Morrow]

You beat me to it this year.

 

This is Canadian, but it can work for anyone anyway: http://www.gc.ca/home.html

 

The video will probably be up all day tomorrow and maybe a bit after.

 

Remember the fallen. Lest we forget.

 

 

 

Well Done.

[suv_guy_19]

I changed the video after you replied. I like the old music better. I find it more moving, but maybe that's just me.

 

I never miss the National Act of Remembrance on Parliament Hill (on television - I hope some day I can go there myself). For me, this is one of the most moving and emotional time of year.

[xr7g428]

Country matters less than the ideas that countries stand for.

 

People ask why America fights in Afghanistan and Iraq, what American interest we find so pressing, and the answer is that the idea that people might not be enslaved by their own governments is so powerful that men are willing to die to give freedom to other men they have never met.

[suv_guy_19]

Exactly Xr. It's the same reason I have reservations about Canada leaving Afghanistan. i understand why some people are opposed....but we have so much, and those people have so little. Yes, it costs lives, and billions of dollars, but we can't always hide from the world. We need to make a difference, as a few countries always do...and hopefully always will.

 

I don't think that I myself could go to war like so many do. I doubt I'd have the courage. The people that volunteer their lives in the pursuit of freedom, well, we ow them more than a debt of gratitude...in many ways we owe them our lives, just as so many others do.

[Edstock]

Exactly Xr. It's the same reason I have reservations about Canada leaving Afghanistan. i understand why some people are opposed....but we have so much, and those people have so little. Yes, it costs lives, and billions of dollars, but we can't always hide from the world. We need to make a difference, as a few countries always do...and hopefully always will.

Yes indeed. The picture below is why we are there, so an innocent woman doesn't get a Kalashnikov headache just because she wanted a job. You can see the round hitting the ground to the right.

 

 

I don't think that I myself could go to war like so many do. I doubt I'd have the courage.

You have all that's necessary, because you are responsible. Nobody said it was easy.

[suv_guy_19]

There are estimates that 50K people showed up fro remembrance day, partly to remember, and partly to see the Prince and the Duchess. That number is about double last year's already impressive showing. The crowds just keep growing and growing.

 

Also impressive, the Prince showed up in his uniform as a Lieutenant General in the Canadian Forces, and the Governor General, for the firs ttime in a long time at one of these ceremonies, was wearing here military uniform.

 

 

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/ww...in?size=620x400

 

The two in their military uniforms at the link. Many called it very touching.

 

Crowds surrounded Confederation Square on all sides.

Edited November 11, 2009 by suv_guy_19

[goinbroke2]

Note The Prince is doing a Canadian salute not british.

 

Is that Michele Jean? If so, why does she have the CD medal? In fact, what has she done to deserve any of her medals? Ceremonial? I see the officer to her right has a single medal with a clasp..then you see the Cpl's and M/Cpl's with a chest full due to the tours.

 

Lead from the rear, hooah!

[suv_guy_19]

The Governor General is your Commander in Chief (if only by title, and not by position). You should probably have a bit more respect.

 

This is her official title:

 

Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada.

 

She also is the Chancellor of the Canadian Forces Decoration

 

All those are by virtue of the position for which she was selected, a position that in our system commands a great deal of power and respect...especially from a soldier. She holds the highest honour of the orders because she is the keeper of the orders along with many other medals.

 

The medals she is wearing, from someone who knows more about these things than me:

 

Around her neck is the insignia of a Companion of the Order of Canada. On her medal bar are (left to right) the Canadian Forces Decoration and Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan.

[Edstock]

If George Chuvalo were appointed to succeed her, would he be the Left-Right Honourable?

[suv_guy_19]

I don't think so....haha. It will be an English Canadian that follows her though, that's pretty much for sure.

 

Either way, she did a really good job at the ceremony, as did the Prince and Vice Admiral of the Canadian Forces, Charles.

[goinbroke2]

The Governor General is your Commander in Chief (if only by title, and not by position). You should probably have a bit more respect.

 

This is her official title:

 

Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada.

 

She also is the Chancellor of the Canadian Forces Decoration

 

All those are by virtue of the position for which she was selected, a position that in our system commands a great deal of power and respect...especially from a soldier. She holds the highest honour of the orders because she is the keeper of the orders along with many other medals.

 

The medals she is wearing, from someone who knows more about these things than me:

 

Around her neck is the insignia of a Companion of the Order of Canada. On her medal bar are (left to right) the Canadian Forces Decoration and Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan.

 

I should have more respect? Do you have any idea what your talking about? Appearantly not. Because she's been "given" the title then I should respect her? I respect the POSITION or RANK and not the member! If you actually served you'd understand the difference. You correctly identified the CD medal I mentioned (Canadian Forces Decoration ). Do you know WHAT it is for? 12 years of loyal service/undetected crime. Basically she's spent 12 years in the forces without getting in shit! REALLY?? She's been in HOW LONG and has served WHAT? Of all medals to wear (one that requires time in) I wonder why she chose that one then? If she's the "keeper of the medals" then why doesn't she wear the OM or Victoria Cross? Why limit herself? Why doesn't she wear a chestfull and get a lot more respect from onlookers who have no idea what they're looking at?

 

I've had incompitent officers and good officers, I respect the rank but not necessarily the man. When you see a Chief on parade with just a CD medal and you see all the Cpl's and M/Cpl's being inspected having chests full of medals, I have less respect for the man. I will still pay respects when called for and will follow orders and commands, but will I respect the man himself? Having "been there" and "done that" I've watched mild and meek S/NCO's jump up under fire and get the job done. I've also seen some freeze up and one who actually pissed himself when we got mortared. (the M/Cpl took over at the time luckily and yelled return fire, that "authorization" was all that was required at the time)

For someone who's never walked in my boots, to come on here and tell me who I should respect when you don't even know what your talking about or what the issue is? That's quite the gall there mister.

 

And yes if I did know an officer or NCO was wearing medals unearned I certainly would say something as would any other member. Reread what I posted "Is that Michele Jean? If so, why does she have the CD medal? In fact, what has she done to deserve any of her medals? Ceremonial?"

I was questioning why she was wearing the CD which I have the right to do since I am a military member. I then questioned why she is wearing any medals that a member has to work for when she is only "appointed".

Further, I commented on a senior officer in the military who has progressed through the ranks appearantly without the "nuisance" of having to serve anywhere or having done anything"

Do you have to have several near death experiences to drive a desk in Ottawa? No, but it certainly will give a different perspective and attitude towards the deployment of your troops or battling with politicians. (look at Gen's Mackenzie or Hillier)

I have the greatest respect for "Lew" not because he was a General, but because we went into Yugoslavia together and I watched him do several things leading from the front not the rear. Standing toe to toe with Serbians going into the sarajevo airport and forcing our way in was one of them.

 

In short, don't ever question my loyalty or respect for the military or those that run it. But don't confuse that with blind subservience. The ability to question leadership and adapt to situations is what has given the Canadian military the ability to continually punch above it's weight class.

[suv_guy_19]

She has a right to wear the medals because she is the commander of said medals. She is the one who gives them and takes them away until at least some time next year.

 

Jean represents the Crown and holds the top honours in Canada as part of her position. You don't have to like Jean, but anyone commanding her office has the same right to the medals. Many military people I've heard from were quite happy she showed up in uniform wearing her medals. The CDS sure looked happy.

 

BTW, I thank you for your service, even if you're a little cranky :P. And I'm not questioning your loyalty. It's simply that most people aren't nearly as familiar as myself with our government system. What I said came off as rude, and I'm sorry for saying it the way that I did.