Better Late Than Never...

Today is Veterans' Day...a day to honor the service, the heroism, the sacrifice of men and women both living and not...those who have given so much to defend and protect not only our own country, but also others in need of our help throughout history.

Today there are heroes among us that have sadly been overlooked, even forgotten. Their average age is 83 years old and without them World War II may never have been won....at the very least it would have been seriously prolonged. They are the United States Merchant Marines.

During the second World War the Merchant Marines were the ones who risked their lives delivering the troops, tanks, boats, planes, ammunition, food, fuel and medicine needed to fight the Axis enemy. They were the first to go and the last to come home. They suffered the highest percentage of casualties - 1 in 26 Mariners killed - compared to other branches of the armed services. Their ships were attacked by submarines, kamikaze, and artillery from the shores. President Roosevelt showed true appreciation for their service, recognizing that they were "fighting side by side" with the Navy and Army. In 1944, as he signed the GI Bill, Roosevelt expressed the hope that Congress would someday give similar benefits to the Merchant Marines that "risked their lives time and time again during war for the welfare of their country". In reality though, their "thank you" consisted only of a letter from President Truman and a lapel pin. The benefits that were given to the heroes of the Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard were simply denied to the Merchant Marines.

The effort to right this wrong began in the late seventies as Mariners sought Veteran Status. Not until 1988 did this become a reality, but considering the fact that the average age of the Mariners was 64 at that time, it was too late to take advantage of most of the GI Bill benefits such as education, home and small business loans, priority status for post-war jobs, etc.
Simply put...too little, too late.

The champion that the Merchant Mariners had in President Roosevelt was somewhat replaced by the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Bob Filner when he introduced a bill called the "Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2007" to the 110th Congress earlier this year...calling it an "opportunity to correct a grave injustice heaped upon the gallant men of the Merchant Marine of World War II" and going on to say that "heroes from past wars deserve all the care and dignity that this nation can bestow." In July, The House passed an amended version of this bill, which would basically allow for payment of $1,000 per month to qualifying, surviving Merchant Marines. The bill was introduced in the Senate in March, was read twice and then referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (I was disappointed to see that both Senators from the State of Georgia are not listed as co-sponsors of this bill and I have written them today to urge their support.) Unfortunately, as I write this blog, I am unable to report on the status of this important legislation - unable to find anything definitive on the internet - but I have left a message in Washington with the Committee on Veterans' Affairs asking for an update.

Today is Veteran's Day. I am reminded of the heroes that walk among us, the heroes that have gone on to receive their greatest reward, the heroes that serve in far-away lands today. I am reminded of my father - thankfully still with us today - who stood on the deck of a ship watching artillery fly overhead in the night sky - who proudly served our country in World War II - a United States Merchant Marine.

Dog Overboard!

The first Saturday in November was a picture-perfect fall day - crisp, clear and colorful. Even the water of Lake Lanier - what is left of it anyway - was sparkling in the sun. My husband and I viewed it as a wonderful opportunity to rally our two boys and three dogs to enjoy one of our mini-island vacations on our houseboat.

Houseboating is relatively new to us, having acquired our first vessel this past spring - a 1966 Lazy Days named "Old School". She rests in beautiful Aqualand Marina, but we take her out just about every chance we get because we love the feel of the wind in our faces as we move across the water - we love the adventure involved in finding that perfect island to "stake our claim" to - we love to just be together, away from all the distractions and technology that constantly rob us of quality family time. We treasure each other - and we treasure our pets too, so we naturally include them in much of what we do. The events of this weekend, however, have us convinced that ONE of our pets would like to opt out of all future boating.

Bandit is an 8 year old rat terrier we adopted in Denver. I was only going to the shelter to donate bags of food - I swear - but this adorable dog was calling to me from down the hall. A black and white bundle of energy whose eyes and barks seemed to be pleading and, at the same time, questioning why he was in that cage to begin with. Needless to say - I couldn't leave without him and haven't regretted it a moment since. Bandit's life hasn't been without drama however. Just weeks after he became part of our family he set his sights on a squirrel - raced his slim figure right through a wrought-iron fence - and became the victim of a hit and run. We then raced HIM and his broken pelvis right to the emergency vet. A few thousand dollars and a few screws later - good as new! Bandit even went on to win races three years in a row at the Hound Dog Derby, a benefit for the greyhound adoption program in Colorado. Just recently though, we've noted that Bandit is starting to get his gray hairs. Seeing those gives us a twinge of pain now and then as they are a reminder that the "old faithful" years are not far down the road. Today, however, I am counting my blessings that our time with Bandit didn't flat run out this weekend.

Apparently Bandit doesn't like boat rides as much as the rest of the family. He's hinted at this before - exhibiting behavior such as shaking and panting - general nervousness as Old School courses along the water. But he enjoys the island experience so much - the freedom to run and explore - that we've brought him along despite his temporary discomfort. This weekend, however, he went to extreme lengths to let his opinion of boating be known...he jumped. It feels impossible to explain the horror I felt as I saw his black and white bottom leap off - dead center - the front of the houseboat as it was cruising at 25 mph in the middle of Lake Lanier. It crushes my heart and brings tears to my eyes even now - as I write these words - to revisit the scene...looking down into the water - no dog in sight - knowing he was under the 43 foot boat. I thank God that my husband had the presence of mind to immediately throw the motor in neutral - to avoid the certain death that would come if dog met props. I thank the good Lord for my two sons and their subsequent heroics - the kind that made them saints in their mother's heart.

The next several minutes were, at times, blurred for me. The mind can be kind - I think it knows how much a person can handle and shuts down accordingly to preserve one's life or sanity...at least in my case it did. What I DO know is that my 15 year old son Keegan ran to the back of the boat and, much to our amazement, spotted Bandit's head above water - already about 120 feet behind us. As our rat terrier doggy-paddled with all his might, Keegan did not hesitate to tear off clothes and dive right in. Thankfully, Keegan is a healthy and strong athlete and has developed incredible endurance from training and competing with the West Hall High School varsity cross-country team. Even so, he had a long way to go to reach a dog that unfortunately was swimming AWAY from us (anything to not get back on that boat I guess)! In addition, the water temperature was a chilly 68 degrees and I'm quite sure it was a shock to both boy and dog at impact! This was the stuff of nightmares - you know those dreams when you are either running toward something or away from something, but just can't make headway. I experienced unbelievable terror over the next minute as I was fearful that any second either the dog or my son would disappear into the abyss...indescribable panic came with the feeling that I couldn't get to either one in time if there was trouble. When Keegan was far enough away from the boat to safely turn the motor back on, my husband did just that and maneuvered Old School near the dog. Keegan was still a pretty good distance from Bandit - and that's where son number two became a hero. Grayson, an athletic 7th grader, was ready and willing to go in for the save. He looked to us for permission, jumped in and grabbed hold of my little dog whose eyes were, by now, bulging out of his head and showing signs of impending shock. Before long, Keegan met up with his brother and his pet and calmly showed great strength in getting everyone back on board. With tears on my face and towels in my arms I waited to receive a shivering, shaking, and moaning Bandit - a dog who had just experienced, I'm sure, the scare of his life. As I professed my love, thanks and admiration to my sons, I secretly wondered if the danger was over for Bandit, but tried to remain calm and reassuring - hoping to steer him away from life-threatening shock.

As I weighed in my mind the wisdom of going home versus going straight to the emergency vet, my husband made the decision to continue on to our island adventure...a decision that turned out to be the right one in so many ways. Moments after we beached the boat, my saintly sons came to me as I held the still-shaking dog and suggested that we let Bandit recover on the warm sand. As it turned out, that was just what the doctor ordered. The combination of the perceived safety of land along with its sun-kissed temperature brought my dog back to life. Within seconds he was jumping, running, smiling and in our laps as we all collapsed and reveled in the miracle that had just occured. I gushed my gratefulness to my sons - calling them heroes again and again. In my giddiness, I professed that they would enjoy the best Christmas ever this year and encouraged them to make their wish lists. To that, Keegan responded "Mom, I just got the best present I could ever ask for - I got my dog back." This mother's heart has never been so proud.

Today, I have a new respect for Lake Lanier and it is somewhat laced with fear. I am reminded that along with the fun and enjoyment there are dangers lurking too. As the water levels continue to diminish, people say there could be many treasures lying at the bottom of that lake - just waiting to be uncovered; our family is truly grateful that our dog isn't one of them.