Memorial Day 2019A year ago or more I joined the American Legion. I should have joined long ago. The comradeship is great fun. I never had the harrowing experience of ever being in a battle zone, while many of these seasoned veterans saw some awful things in their tours of duty in uniform. In this group I feel a deep sense of patriotism and that love of country is contagious. What I do hear being discussed is the way they interact with the community. They enjoy the places where they live and appreciate their fellow citizens. Many of our fellow citizens will say “Thank you for your service” and I’m sure they appreciate it, but they don’t ask to be praised and the reason that they served was based on their love of country.There is a light hearted banter I enjoy hearing while sitting down among my fellow vets. One night I was mulling over what some of these people saw while serving in the military. Many are old and some are infirm but once upon a time they were young and virile warriors. As they taunt and tease each other you come to realize that they rarely talk about what they have seen.Perhaps they are just basking in the realization that what they fought for is here for their grandchildren to inherit. I may be making too much of this but there is a happiness about them despite the frailties of age that they deal with. The knees and shoulders that are no longer the painless springs that served them when they were young are not things you hear them complain about.We wish them all the best this Memorial DayErnie Fazio