14/11/2022
I went away to Iraq in 2007 and honestly, it was hard work. But, I had a good tour. I didn't lose any mates, I have all my limbs and I didn't experience anything that affected my mental health.
I was lucky! Although I was very prepared to get stuck in as much as was required, I had no issues with giving my life if needed. For my mates more than anything else.
What does the 11th mean to me?
It's priceless, worth every bit of faffing around with the kids in the morning, ironing my threads, and taking most of the day up. It's never a chore, not even a duty, it just is something that I think EVERYONE should be doing.
Ultimately, I am grateful and proud!
Relatively speaking, I get to do whatever I like because I live in a relatively free society, perhaps not as free these days, but all the same, I have always been grateful to those that literally gave their today, for my tomorrows!
But these days, when the 11th comes around, I don't think of those that gave their lives in WW1 & WW2 as much as I used to.
I actually think of my friends that have some deep s**t in their heads that they can't get rid of! I have my own PTSD (nothing to do with war), and I get what it does to you and how low and down someone can feel on a bad day. Even the best days are rarely as good as the fairly good days used to be.
And that's me, with nothing as bad as what some of my friends have to think about (whether they like it or not).
As an ex-soldier, naturally, I have lots of friends that were or are still soldiers.
So these days, for the most part, I think about them, my friends, and all the other soldiers that have the same s**t going on.
They don't get the recognition they deserve.
When I came home, wearing my kit and carrying over 60kg of s**t, I was treated like a hero. But the shine wears off and it doesn't take long. The 'appreciation' for what soldiers have to go through even to be deployable, let alone actually get the tour done, wears off.
So if this happened to me, then it happens to everyone I suppose.
So remembering the dead, having a moment to consider those still here and still suffering, and respecting all soldiers shouldn't be for just one day, it shouldn't need a parade, it should just be.
Remember them forever.
We should also use days like yesterday to consider the consequences of irresponsible politicians deciding to stake yet more lives on 'looking after' the UK's interests. War should be avoided at any cost.
I hope the future brightens for our serving soldiers and those yet to join.