My father was in the Navy, stationed at the end of his career at Moffett Field in Mtn View, CA. For many years, well into the 1980s, there was a what looked like a bus stop at the Moffett exit from Hwy 101, but I learned it was a place to give uniformed service men a ride.

It was in fact quite common for service personnel to hitch rides all over the country while on leave, and Dad has a few stories about trips back home helped along by truckers and regular citizens when he didn't want to spend the money to sit on Greyhound. There were even signs urging people who saw men in uniform to "Give Them a Lift!"

Too bad that trust -- even in our own soldiers and sailors -- is long gone.