Baker, Louisiana – Day 3

Note: Mary flew from Baton Rouge Airport, Louisiana yesterday to her home in California. I’m hoping to get her back with me by mid-April. My current plans are to stay here for a few days and then start SLOWLY drifting north along the Mississippi River to Memphis, Tennessee where I’ll then turn northeast heading for New England. Can’t go north too fast because it’s still cold up there!
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The motorhome is currently parked at VFW Post #4224 in Baker, a few miles north of Baton Rouge.

Yesterday I drove the Bronco the about five miles to the Baton Rouge Airport…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

On the way back to the motorhome, I stopped by to visit American Legion Post #503…

During my one hour visit I enjoyed meeting and talking with Steve, Duke, Al and Commander Robert. A great bunch of fun guys…

They gave me a souvenir license plate…

 

Enjoying meeting fellow veterans is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Louisiana. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

POLITICS FRONT AND CENTER

The debates have everyone atwitter, Biden smiled and chuckled too much, Ryan hesitated too long before answering a question he clearly didn’t expect about abortion, yatta ta yatta ta yatta. I guess the pundits have to earn their money someway, but not one of them mentioned the most telling line from Biden:

The next president will pick two jurists to serve on the United States Supreme Court. If the Romney ticket wins, you can expect a conservative court to be even more conservative. I think having such an unbalanced court is a disaster as in their recent decision giving corporations the same rights as a human. That is something to think about.

Ryan avoids answering the direct question, what is their plan to bring 12 million higher-paying jobs to Americans.  He says they will do it, but he can’t explain how. Biden says the way to get back to work is to let the Bush tax cuts expire and level the playing field for middle class Americans. Help out where needed just like the banks were helped. Working people PAY taxes.

It makes me nervous to watch the debates. I don’t watch the horrible ads I hear about. But, we have so much to lose and be concerned about if our leaders fail us. If there was only some way we could be guaranteed what we hear is honest, and hear plans to solve problems that are clear and concise. This campaign has given the fact checkers a lot of business. There are more, and more fact checkers needed. We should require our congressional leaders to take ethics classes before they take their oath. I would just once like to see a fact checker at a debate slap one of them across the knuckles with a ruler when he or she lies. And, I’d just once like to hear an ad that says, “This message has passed the fact checker for truthfulness.”

(I didn’t hear from the pundits that there was a proliferation of lies at this debate like the Presidential debate.)

And, no one mentioned Republican Senator Larry Pressler’s endorsement of President Obama, and the positive things the Obama Administration has done for veterans.

Yesterday, I proudly endorsed President Obama.

As a combat veteran of two tours of Vietnam with 22 years of service as a Republican member of the U.S. House and Senate, the choice was not easy.

But it is clear: President Obama recognizes that our sacred trust with those who serve starts when they take their oath, and never ends.

That’s why he’s enacted tax credits to spur businesses to hire unemployed veterans and wounded warriors. He implemented and improved the post-9/11 GI Bill, the largest investment in veterans education since the original GI Bill more than 60 years ago. He’s proposing a Veterans Jobs Corps that would help put returning service members to work as police officers, firefighters, and first responders.

President Obama ended the war in Iraq, and has a plan to responsibly end the war in Afghanistan. He’s laid out a clear plan that would reduce the deficit and prevent the mandatory arbitrary military spending cuts that no one wants.

And something that hits close to home: President Obama secured the largest increase in VA investments in decades, so veterans get the care and benefits they earned, like treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury. As someone with service-related PTSD, I meet with younger veterans weekly to help them through the treatment and transition. It makes a difference for them knowing their president has their back.

And let me be clear: Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan would be disastrous for America’s service members, veterans, and military families.

When you fail to mention an ongoing war in accepting your party’s nomination to be president, or veterans in a so-called jobs plan, the public praise rings hollow.

Mitt Romney has time and again failed the test to be commander-in-chief of our nation’s military. When he politicized the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other brave Americans in Libya, he demonstrated that he lacks the required resolve and steadiness. He sowed division between “us” and “them” when he wrote off 47 percent of Americans, including any veteran collecting disability like myself. He has still failed to outline any plan to end the war in Afghanistan or bring our troops home.

He has not proven himself fit to serve as commander-in-chief of this nation.

Now, that is clear and concise.

WE RIDE FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T

We meet a lot of veterans on the road as we travel like this Air Force Veteran.  He and a Navy buddy ride together and are proud to have ridden all the way to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C.  I visited the Memorial;  I don’t remember what year it was. We, like many others, traced the name of a friend.  It was an emotional experience. Especially the notes, and flowers, and meaningful (to them) trinkets that people lay next to the wall where their loved ones names are etched in stone  forever.

We’ve seen several of these Veteran Biker Groups on various missions.  Just seeing them reminds us of All Gave Some, Some Gave All.

Wherever I see a vet just minding his own business, I feel shy about walking up to him and thanking them, but we do smile in a friendly way and say hello. If they have cameras we  offer to take their pictures for them.  It is one thing I can do, as small as that may be.  This duo let me take their picture for my blog, and we took their pictures in front of the ruins we were all admiring, with their cameras.

Both of these guys made the trip All The Way in 2011 and in 2012.  The theme is We Ride For Those Who Can’t.  I didn’t ask their names,  but I’m going to make a point of doing so the next time we meet a veteran biker and post their pictures on the blog.

I fly to Vegas this afternoon for a visit with my son and daughter and their families for two days.  Then, home to Murphys for my family reunion. Besides everyday business to catch up on, each time I return home, I make it a point to finish one major  project  I started.  I’ll be in touch via this blog and give you a look into what goes on in my very active community.

We’re parked in the City of Farmington, in  a huge parking lot behind the shuttle service that will deliver me to Alburquerque Airport later this morning.   Then Jim will head for high ground, cooler temperatures, hopefully, and more rest for his injury which still plagues him.

 

THE LOST MAN

I received an email from a friend about a physician who treats veterans in San Antonio,  Texas.  The physician claims  more veterans settled in that area of Texas than anywhere in the U.S.  He was discussing his view on how under appreciated veterans can be, even by himself. He learned late in his career to ask each patient about their experiences and let them know how much he appreciates them as he listens to their stories, some of which are horrific.  It  put me in mind of the post in Ajo which shares a post with the American Legion and AmVets.

Most posts fly a POW-MIA flag.  Ajo’s  post has a table reserved for the lost man. We’ve stayed in many VFW and American Legion Posts over the years and I had never seen this done. I Heard someone ask what the salt on the table represented?  I was curious as well. After reading the framed mission statement, I thought I’d share it.

The bible is behind the frame and not visible in my photo, nor is the lemon slice present.

Yesterday, the resort had a polka party which sold out very quickly. We went to Mesa to get the Bronco washed, but couldn’t find a place that washes without brushes. We bought  a coffee pot since ours had a faulty handle. We returned in time to peek in at the dance.

Dancing the polka and schottisch is most likely something only our generation finds familiar.

One thing I know for sure, the dancers were having a great time.

And those who sat out were having a good time too.

For active seniors,  “snowbird” resorts, are a fun way to spend your golden years. Many RVers use their own motor homes to stay at places like this and others buy a spot they keep all year.  Either way, it’s a great, carefree, fun and economical way to live.

All’s Okay…Except For The Down-Side…

Yesterday I drove about one hour from my current camping spot at Thousand Trails RV Resort in Monroe to the VA Hospital in Seattle, Washington for my annual physical examination.

It’s a huge facility located in South Seattle. The below Google Earth view is not a real-time photo. When I go there during the day…the parking lot is crammed. It’s quite a chore finding a parking place. It’s also an efficiently run place…I was in an out with no problems. As always, I was treated with the highest level of professionalism and courtesy. The staff holds the veterans in very high esteem.

Thankfully…I got my usual report…all is well…get out of here…we’ve got people who really need us!

The DOWN-SIDE is…it’s also a sad place to visit…to see my fellow veterans suffering a wide-ranging assortment of physical and mental problems. All but basically forgotten for their patriotic deeds, in general, by the American public.

There are many worthy charities out there. The ONLY one I support with my annual budget for charity is the Disabled American Veterans…the DAV. I hope you will consider them when evaluating your charity donations. If it wasn’t for the veterans of World War II there’s a good chance today we would all be speaking German or Japanese.

If you love your freedom…thank a veteran!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://lulu.com/panamaorbust