Back in 1969, my hero, John Wayne, starred in a movie which would give him his one and only Oscar. The movie was called True Grit, where he played a U.S. Marshal named Rooster Cogburn. He was hired by a young girl and the movie goes on to tell the story of their journey together. Since I was a huge John Wayne fan, I saw the movie several times, not realizing the impact the title would have. The words True Grit have always stuck in my mind as something to be striving for each and every day.

My beloved dogs definitely work on True Grit, but they do it by bringing lots of sand daily into our house. Not exactly what I think of when wondering about what could be considered True Grit. And, they are not inclined to stand still long enough for me to wipe their feet before coming back into the house, especially when they hope they will be getting a treat or dinner. One treads across my floors carefully so as not to slide in the sand! As a matter of fact, I believe there has been enough of the gritty stuff in my living room to fill a good sized sandbox for several toddlers to play in while being in their own yard.

No, the True Grit I have been fortunate to witness every week is here at the VFW Post 4174 in Lehigh Acres. Our members are the survivors of many different American Wars, and their continual patriotism is something to witness and be proud of seeing. They have respect for the flag, our constitution, our country, our government and will always maintain a continual pride in having served their country. Also, the loyalty shown to all other veterans is heartwarming.

Many of them walk slower and with a bit of a slump. Some have a perpetual limp, some still have scars from wounds, and a few even have need of a service dog to help them struggle daily in a civilian world. But, the moment they are asked to participate in any type of ceremony, all of a sudden, their backs get straighter, the limp is less pronounced and their gait goes into almost perfect cadence. You just know they still maintain their boot camp training by their stances and the proud salutes.

While lots of the members are getting up a bit in age, they still want to participate in different activities, such as serving their fellow veterans in the DAV, helping out with the Combat Support Group, assist in the final tribute to a fallen member, helping support community activities, and always reaching out a helping hand to any fellow veteran or his/her family.

The reverence they show for their fellow comrades is heartwarming and often funny. There is no end to the teasing and joshing about the different branches, but underneath it all, one can feel the understanding and respect of those who served. The term Boots on the Ground is one in which they take an immense pride. It is truly enjoyable to witness the continual comradery of everyone each and every time when in the Post. Veterans actually know what is meant by the real terms of True Grit, having had it drilled into them while very young.

To meet some people with True Grit, stop in at 25 S. Homestead Road any day of the week. You’ll be glad you did!