Army, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, seven rows of ribbons, Presidential Medal of Freedom. This paper ran a feature, and The New York Times ran a 34-column-inch tribute: Four star general, longest-serving active duty member of the U.S. General Vessey died a month ago Sunday, and after his death accolades and eulogies abounded.
If I could have read their minds, I'm sure it went something along the order of "there goes the honorable discharge, the GI mortgage rate, and maybe I'll even have to pay back the college benefits. I turned to the tank guys and watched as the color in their faces drained, cartoon-like, from brows to Adam's apple, while their pupils dilated. "Ladies and gentlemen, General John Vessey", and the older man at our table got up and approached the lectern. When dinner ended, the club president got up and proceeded to introduce the evening's speaker, the military sponsor of the club. Apparently there hadn't been a lot for them to actually do, there being no physical conflict happening, but they kept busy nonetheless.īased on the stories, their activities were quite a bit like Donald Sutherland's character in "Kelly's Heroes:" a lot of smoking dope and stunt driving of tanks, but without the added difficulty of incoming enemy fire. Dinner service began, and during the course of the meal - soup, salad, dinner, and dessert - the two tank crew members regaled us with tales of their time in Europe. Just before the waiters appeared, an older man asked if he could join our group. The guys had been "tankers" in West Germany during the Cold War. Several years ago we were at one of these events and were seated at a table for eight with two other couples. Plus it's fun to see guys who spend their weekends wrenching on main battle tanks and reeking of axle grease and diesel fuel get all cleaned up and try to be on their best behavior. I've no interest in restoring tanks and other armor from our country's military entanglements of the previous century, but a steak dinner and dessert at the Officers Club? I'm there.
Using that same logic, I've found myself at the annual dinner of the Fort Snelling Military Museum for the past dozen or so years. But, hey, a great meal, no cooking, door prizes, a silent auction? Why not? I have a friend who regularly attends Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited banquets.
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