I've been doing Veterans' Day concerts and sing-alongs for over 10 years now, mostly at senior centers, retirement and assisted living residences, nursing and convalescent/ rehabilitation centers, group homes, etc. Until recently, my concerts focused on songs of WWI and WWII and their eras, with some generic "patriotic" songs (e.g., Star Spangled Banner) thrown in.

But the oddest thing seems to be happening. Although I, myself, haven't aged a day since I began this gig, my "clientele" seem to get YOUNGER each year. Now, instead of nearly all of them being my parents' age or older, there are more and more of them popping up who are just a few years my senior. Sometimes even YOUNGER!

Trouble is, I'm not sure how to "pay tribute" to the veterans of Korea, Viet Nam, The Gulf War, and the current Iraq debacle. Especially if I don't want to buy into the Barry Sadler/Toby Keith rah-rah-for-our-side stuff.

I know there are lots of anti-war songs from the '60s and later, plus songs like "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye," "Mrs. McGrath," etc., but nobody wants you to turn their Veterans' Day celebration into a heavy concert about the horrors of war.

What I'm wondering is this:
Are there songs from the post WWII era that many veterans would enjoy and relate to but that celebrate the courage and sacrifice of the soldier without either glorifying war or "preaching" about how awful war is?

In WWI, e.g., there were songs like "Keep The Home Fires Burning," "Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning," "Pack Up Your Troubles," and "Roses Of Piccardy." In WWII there were songs like "Lili Marlene," "Sentimental Journey," "Bluebirds Over The White Cliffs Of Dover," "I'll Be Seeing You," "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,"* and "Bless 'Em All."

Are there songs like that which vets from later wars would relate to? All I can think of is "Silver Wings." That, and maybe some rock songs that it's kind of hard to do with one puny female voice and an acoustic guitar.

Any suggestions?

Genie