User blog comment:SpaceWeather/Happy Memorial Day!/@comment-1874924-20130526155014

My father, 87, was in the Marines during WW2. The closest he ever came to the front was when he was part of the garrison on the recently captured/liberated island of Saipan. One of his souvenirs from the war was an unfired Japanese pistol cartridge that he found on that island. He pulled a lot of sentry duty whilst on that island, and sitting on those cold rocks all night left him with lifelong prostate problems.

The war also had a psychological effect on him, from the condition of the food he had to eat. To this day, he can't eat a cold or lukewarm dish if it's supposed to be hot. He doesn't have any problem with foods that are supposed to be served at room temperature; but if it's supposed to be hot, he can't eat it unless it's piping hot.

My youngest brother, 47, is currently in the service. He's nearing retirement from the Coast Guard, which is a somewhat different beast. Originally under the Department of Transportation in peacetime and the Department of Defense in wartime, it's now the largest agency in the Department of Homeland Security.