Small-Hold Salute and Farewell

I know this is several days late but I really wanted to digest this latest loss of a cold war era leader. You know you are over the hump when the leaders of your youth begin dying off I guess. The Iron Lady may have been the PM of Britain but she helped form those magical years of the 80's for me as much as Reagan or any other really. From the time I graduated high school or while serving in Europe she was always a symbol of not only her own country but the hay day period of the Western powers as well.

Decidedly anti-immigration, a true conservative and always critical of Feminism she demanded and was due respect and proved all someone needed was ability to make it all the way to the top. No special favors because of gender thank you very much.

Perhaps the soldiers, sailors ( YA Sailors includes marines haha) airmen and politicians of the Cold war era were not really tested back then but I like to think that is because we did everything we needed to do to keep the world from exploding around us. It is hard to put into words the attitude we had at that time. Almost a fatal outlook is the only way to describe it. We knew when things finally erupted we were toast and in many ways back then we lived everyday like it was going to be our last.

As I said it is hard to explain. Too young for Vietnam and mostly cast aside before the Gulf wars we still volunteered to serve at a time when most were sure things were going to go nuclear at any time. Maybe we weren't called on to wage war but when you joined you knew with certainty you were going to. Time proved that certainty wrong but it still took guts to place yourself in that position I think. It really did look like it was going to go hot on more than one occasion.

I sometimes wonder however if time really is done with us yet. Now more than ever that kind of commitment maybe needed again. Let's just hope Britain can produce another Iron Lady when the need arises.

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!