What is a sight to see is Arlington National Cemetery over Memorial Weekend.

It was 1984 when I was first there with friends. For as far as the eye could see amidst the rolling Virginia hills from Arlington House, were acres of white headstones and flags at each grave site. I went again in November during my monthly visit to the NIH.

On Phil's DD 214 was 3 years, 11 months, and 27 days when he was in the USAF, discharged with honors from Travis AFB in July of 1966.

I served in the USAF from 1965-9. No fighting. No action. Just doing what the USAF thought I should be doing during that time. My father was a B-17 pilot in WWII. My wife's father served in WWII and the Korean War as a hospital worker.

All those white headstones always give me pause. So carefully aligned in tightly ordered rows that can be seen from any angle you look. All of those people who gave their time or even their lives to serve their country. It should give anyone pause. I think that is the point of our National Cemeteries.

I will think of you and your husband on that date, which will be my 80th birthday.

My Great-Uncle Tony Daverse was a Ball Turret Gunner on a B-17 crew during WWII.

On a flight home in early December of 1944 for Sympathy leave of several crew members, his plane was shot down over the Bering Strait by the Japanese enroute to Anchorage for refueling. There were no survivors.

Whenever I see a B-17 in a museum, I look for the spot below the fuselage where Uncle Tony would have been. He was tiny enough to fit into that cramped space. He was my Mother's favorite Uncle. My husband was 80.

Thanks.

My husband was in basic training at Travis in 1966

His Commanding Officer asked if he would be interested in re-upping for 2 years. Phil declined. He saw the planes coming in from Vietnam via Hawaii (Graves Registration) unloading the metal caskets of the fallen. His brother Larry was with the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines in I Corp in Vietnam before and after the Tet Offensive in early February of 1968.

beautiful, peaceful place. Didn't expect it, but on my first visit to Kennedy's grave, I teared up. Many tourists don't think to visit there, but it's really a lovely, moving experience.

I toured that in 1984 on my 2nd visit to Arlington National Cemetery around the time of Veteran's day. That was the ancestral home of Martha Washington. The sprawling estate as a plantation as well.

Visited the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial as well. Another somber place of remembrance.

I was 1A directly out of high school (pre-lottery) and was a conscientious objector which did me no good since I wasn't associated with a church. I decided to enlist in the USAF to avoid going to Viet Nam and it worked.

My father served in Italy during WWII and survived. My mother's first husband was killed in the Battle of the Bulge.

still have men and women who want to serve.

May you and your family fave peace.

So many DUers served, or have family members who served, in the military. Trump seems completely oblivious to what that means.

Both my brothers served, one in Vietnam. Almost all my uncles who were old enough to enlist served in WWII. One was a B-24 pilot whose bomber was shot down and he became a POW. My only uncles who didn't serve in WWII were my mom's only brother, who was needed to help my grandfather with farming, and my youngest uncle, who later was career military, a colonel, and a military consultant after retiring. My dad lied about his age to enlist during WWII, and he also served during the Korean War. My sister's first husband had been a pilot in Vietnam. My mom's first love enlisted at the start of WWII and died in combat.

…find the time to go. Now, and maybe around Armistice Day (I’m old school) in November are the best times.

Arlington Cemetery is a must, but others around the country are eye opening.

A few years ago I had time to kill 2-days after Decoration Day (See? Old school.) and thought I’d stop - for just a few minutes - at the veterans cemetery near Joint Base Otis on Cape Cod.

“A few minutes” became almost 2 hours. Stunned how beautiful it was.

There’s probably one not too far from you. Go see it!

My wife and I laid flowers on my mom and dad's graves. I hadn't been there since they died. I told them that I was happy. I hope they heard me.