On Being a Veteran

 Being a Veteran is being in service

First of all to our country and next to our

fellow Veterans.

Every Veteran has a story and it’s always

a story of sacrifice ~ for all of us have

sacrificed two, four or in my case seven years in

order to protect the fleet, our mission or our homeland and those

years are forever gone.

But those years are also filled with memories

Memories of camaraderie,

Memories of close friendships,

Memories of shared bonding in battle, in carrier operations or

under attack.

Many of us have been to the dark side and never returned to

the light.

Many of us cannot forget the horror of war and the memories still

haunt us.

Each of us, as Veterans, are proud we served our country and

we welcome the respect and care we receive at our VA clinics and

know, at the deepest level, that we are all brothers and sisters joined

by a common bond of sacrifice and service.

It’s an intangible bond but it’s there and I feel it strongly when

I meet another Veteran ~ particularly a disabled one.

It’s a sense of knowing and acknowledgement that goes beyond

words but resonates in the soul ~

We Served.

About the Author: Allen L Roland is a Freelance Alternative Press Online columnist. He is also a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his web site at AllenRoland.com. He also guest hosts a Truthtalk, a national radio show that airs monthly. He is available for comments, interviews, speaking engagements and private consultations via email at [email protected].

Allen L Roland, PhD

Allen L Roland, PhD is a Freelance Alternative Press Online columnist. He is also a heart-centered spiritual consultant, author, and lecturer who also shares a weekly political and social commentary on his website at AllenRoland.com. He also guest hosts Truthtalk, a national radio show that airs monthly. He is available for comments, interviews, speaking engagements as well as private consultations via email at [email protected].

Roland is a twin who was born in Boston, Massachusetts, survived a dysfunctional family, pursued and lived his dreams, including becoming a Navy supersonic carrier pilot, finding himself by fully opening his heart, writing three books, siring four children ~ and still living his ultimate dream by making a difference from a place of love, celebration, and service.

His Ph.D. dissertation THE UNIFIED FIELD was chosen by Common Boundary and Noetic Science Institute, in their 1998 national dissertation contest, as one of the top three finalists for combining spirituality and psychology. His ongoing heart-centered work as a consultant with veterans with PTSD is the most satisfying work of his life. Allen’s online newsletter, columns, and radio broadcasts are committed to the truth ~ as he sees it ~ for only the truth is revolutionary.