Column 72 for February 25, 2001

When was the last time you went to a band concert? If it’s been a while, you owe it to yourself to get to one soon.

I had the opportunity to visit with my folks again this past weekend, in Gulf Shores, Alabama. My father had obtained tickets for a concert Sunday evening, given by the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America, from Scott Air Force Base near St. Louis. The Erie H. Meyer Civic Center, in Gulf Shores, was packed with three or four hundred guests, and we were in for a treat!

With very few exceptions, the audience was made up of "snowbirds" from the upper mid-west; Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, and so forth. "Snowbirds" in case you didn’t know, are generally retirees, who choose to winter in the south. They are the mainstay of the coastal economy during the winter months. These folks were almost all of my father’s generation. The World War II generation, and as Tom Brokaw’s book says, "The Greatest Generation."

The performance included pieces from Tchaikowsky, Copeland’s wonderful Fanfare for the Common Man, made famous by its use at the Olympics, and of course a rousing march from John Philip Sousa. My favorite was Lassus Trombones, a trombone quartet, outstanding!

The performance concluded with America the Beautiful. Well, almost. The audience demanded an encore. The conductor asked for all the military veterans in the audience to stand. A large majority of the men stood. After the audience sat back down, the conductor announced that the band would play all five of the military songs, and asked that the veterans of each branch stand as their service song was played.

As I stood for the Army’s "Caisson Song" I felt publicly honored for my service for the first time in 30 years. Proud. Surrounded by those of "The Greatest Generation", including my father. Such esteemed company. Those that gave us this freedom that we might pass it along to our children and our children’s children.

You see, I’ve always been proud of my service to our country. But there are a couple problems with my generation, the "Vietnam" generation. We served at a time when we were disdained by much of the American public. The problem goes further. Of the millions of young men and women who served during the Vietnam War, only a small percentage were "in-country" or received a CIB. (The combat infantryman’s badge) It seems that in the many years since then, some have taken the term "veteran" to mean only those few. Indeed, many of my generation were called to a much fuller measure of duty than those of us sitting here, enjoying life, and maybe even writing in the paper.

But, we are veterans all! We didn’t pick and choose our orders and assignments. Some of us served and, by the grace of God, were spared the horrors of combat. We did our part, faithfully, for our country.

I feel better now. It was quite a concert. I won’t forget that crisp salute that Major Waite, the band’s Commander and Conductor, gave to "us" veterans. I’m also going to go back and read Dr. Mac Martin’s columns again, a little closer this time.

Peace. Remember those who secured it for us. tomiswho@mindspring.com