Tuesday was Veteran’s Day. I don’t think most people realize it except when they look for the mail. If you work in downtown though you get to see the parade. I hardly ever miss it. I love parades and I think that the Veteran’s Day parade is special.

You see, not only are there Veterans in the parade but a lot of Veterans dig out their old field jackets or service caps and come downtown and watch the parade. Some of them walk off the sidewalks and into the parade. Nobody minds. This parade is for them! So go ahead, if you are a Veteran, get out and walk in your parade. Its for you.

For a good parade you have to have police motorcycles. This parade had lots of them. The city lost a lot of money in traffic tickets today. They’ll have to double up to makeup, so watch it.

And, of course, the parade had Vets. Lots of Vets. Walking, riding motorcycles, riding in cars. These guys rode in a trailer.

And you have to have flags for a parade, especially a Veteran’s Day parade. Their were lots of flags and lots of color guards. I thought the guys below were especially sharp.
This year we had a bagpipe band. I think that bagpipes are very cool. A bunch of them playing together is especially good. These guys were great.

My favorite entry in the parade was an alliance of home schooled children. They had a huge flag that they carried flat. They were walking along having a good time. They were not marching in step sharply like the JROTC squads, they were just in the parade like everybody else, honoring the Veterans who served and sacrificed in the past and the troops, sailors, airmen and others who are serving their country now.

What the parade was missing were men and women who are now serving. I think they are somewhere else right now.