[Magdalen] Dress Blues.

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

There's a tradition and custom locally in some parishes to request 
veterans to wear their "dress blues" formal uniform on the Sunday
closest to Veterans Day USA - 11th November.  This includes
all laity from ushers to Eucharistic ministers as well as those  sitting
with the congregation.
 
I opted for a Eucharistic minister to come by the house this past
Sunday morning, and I was surprised to see him bedecked in his
US Army dress blues at the rank of major.  I realize that I do  not
have a picture of myself in my major's US Army Medical Corps
dress blues, and even though I have the uniform, it no longer fits.
 
All that money spent on a uniform I only wore at the Hospital
Commander's Reception each January 1st!
 
The EM and I had a nice chat about the Military - he was in the
Army Infantry.
 
In any case Veterans Day USA is to honor ALL those who served in  the
US Military, whereas Memorial Day USA (30th May) is specifically to
honor our war dead.
 
I know it's Remembrance Day/Armistice Day elsewhere.  
 
I think my most memorable 11th November was being in the North of
France on the 50th anniversary  of 11 Nov 18.  There was  the
tricolor bunting everywhere, and there was a light new fallen snow
covering all the great cathedrals setting off the detail and the  bunting
alike.
 
Dieu avec nous!
 
 
 
David Strang.