Some cool Veterans Day stuff from around the web.

Arnold Garcia, Jr. of the Austin American-Statesman asked a bunch of veterans to reflect on their time in the military and tell him "what advice they would give their premilitary selves if they could."  My favorite:

Frank Espinosa Jr., who served in the Navy from 1978 through 2002, said he would tell his younger self "to trust the man next to you as you would trust your own brother because you never know when his action or actions are going to save your life or the lives of an entire crew."

In the Orlando Sentinel, former U.S. Navy chaplain Lt. Commander (Ret.) Robert A. Haines offered this reminder:

First, let me emphasize an important point, and that is, what Veterans Day is not.

It is not a time to memorialize the dead — those who gave their lives in service of their country. That purpose is set aside for Memorial Day.

Second, Veterans Day is not a day to honor our current service members. That's set aside for Armed Forces Day.

On Veterans Day, we give thanks for the millions of Americans who strengthened our nation with their example of service and sacrifice. Our veterans are drawn from many generations and backgrounds. Some charged across great battlefields. Some fought on the high seas. Some patrolled the open skies. All contributed to the character and to the greatness of America.

National Guardsman Sam Taylor is currently stationed in Iraq, and he apparently has a habit of writing friends and family with humorous bits from his week. Today, the Charlotte Observer prints Taylor's latest poignant note which, though tempered by the sadness of the news at Fort Hood, still contained three cheerful items. Taylor writes:

I really don't want to sound cold or inhuman, but over here, we're at war. You steel yourself up for monstrous things to happen. You have plans; you try to accept the possibility without letting the worry about it get the best of you.

I was up almost all last night watching the news, watching them present that five or six scraps of information while showing loops of footage. Folks from my unit were gathered around the television. Some just cursed, some had theories, some tried the same dark jokes kept in reserve for similar situations. Everybody was angry. The thing is, when something like that happens back in America, back in a place you kind of build up in your mind as being relatively safe, well, it feels like the rug is pulled out from under you. And that's pretty hard.

But I tell you what: Do you know why I'm sitting up in my office at 2:30 in the morning looking at a largely unfinished weekly update? Because I was going to try to avoid my normal policy of telling cheerful and humorous bits about the week, and take the time to focus on the - I don't know, the constant threat and unknowable nature of the future? But let's face it, I don't really have anything to say about that. Life can be hard. Terrible things can happen. But there is more to life than that. In these few years the Lord gives us on the Earth, each of us is capable of living into an infinite number of amazing, glorious possibilities.

Lastly, in the San Diego Tribune Michael Garnder has a riveting article about "the fight that turned the tide in Iraq." Garder interview soldiers from Camp Pendlelton who were part of Operation Phantom Fury, the battle to recapture Fallujah, Iraq, in November 2004. One of those soldiers was David Bellavia:

Despite rigorous training, Bellavia said nothing could prepare him or his fellow soldiers for the fierce combat. His unit went house to house to flush out the enemy. In one confrontation, Bellavia told his squad to stay put while he went in, storming room after room to take out an insurgents' nest.

Bellavia received the Silver Star for his bravery. [snip]

“I hope we put a dagger in their hearts,” said Bellavia, reflecting on the importance of Fallujah. “The enemy learned we weren't going to back away.”

Bellavia now serves as executive director of the nonprofit Warrior Legacy Foundation, dedicated to promoting veterans causes.

He urges the public to support deployed troops every day, not just on Nov. 11.

“There's a kid right now kicking down the door and he has no idea what's on the other side,” Bellavia said. “That is valor.”

Thanks to all the veterans for their service to America.