Fall In!

By S. Craig Taylor, Jr.
November 11, 2003

As you read this, most of us here at Lost Battalion Games will be over at the Maryland Fairgrounds for the annual FALL IN (November 14—16) historical miniatures convention. We have a table in the dealer’s area and will be selling our wares there. Although, regrettably, our PANZER® MINIATURES rules will not be available for sale there, designer Jim Day will be demonstrating the rules at our booth. They should be available by the end of November or the start of December. The BRAWLING BATTLESHIPS™ game, which is only a few weeks old and the “Battlelines™: Winter Storm” will be available for sale there, so we are not exactly without new product. In the gaming area, we’ll also once again be kidnapping slow-moving passersby and demonstrating the BATTLELINES™ and BRAWLING BATTLESHIPS™ card games to them. As an added attraction, the deadly Katrina will be playing challenge matches by defending the Tractor Works against all those who dare her wrath. Defeat her and win a free t-shirt!

For the rest of this column, considering that today is Veteran’s Day and we are a nation at war, I would like to reprint something that was sent to me by my old friends Bob and Cleo Liebl. I found it to be very moving and I hope that you do, too.

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the VETERAN, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.
It is the VETERAN, who salutes the Flag, who serves under the Flag,

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD,
AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

On the ABC evening news a few weeks back, it was reported that, because of the dangers from Hurricane Isabelle approaching Washington DC, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment.

They refused. “No way, Sir!”

Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment; it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a serviceperson. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

We can be very proud of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve.

God Bless them!