Veterans

A few years back I was on a flight from the East Coast back home after spending a month with my dad whose health was failing when the flight was cancelled. The airline put us up in a tired hotel about 20 minutes from the hotel. The shuttle bus included 3 reserve soldiers and me. They were returning from 9 months in Afghanistan taking a very long route home that the Army provided with several overnight stops along the way. They were exhausted but so excited to be on their way home with girlfriends or wives waiting as they continued to be delayed. They were polite and pleasant. They seemed to be very fine young men. I slipped them each enough cash to take their loved one out for a nice dinner once they finally got home. I think the consensus was steak dinners. It did my heart good after staying with my dad (an Army man) who was on his way out to be near these young men just starting their lives.