Happy Veteran's Day! Today marks a day very important to me and my family, this year it is especially remarkable for us. My Dad is a veteran and is currently in Iraq continuing to serve our country as a civilian DoD employee. Its hard to believe that after more than 20 years in the USARMY my dad is still risking his life and fighting for the American gift of freedom. At the risk of sounding cheesy and cliche- I really feel the need to take this moment as an opportunity to say THANKS DADDY! YOU'RE AN AMERICAN HERO. God bless all of the veterans and active duty military personnel who sacrifice more than anyone could ever imagine to preserve our rights to freedom and liberty.
As an Army brat for the first 18 years of my life, I often feel like I know a thing or two about what military life is like. You pack your things and board a plane every 2 or so years and move to a new house (that looks like every other house in the neighborhood) in a new state only to pack everything up again 2 years later and repeat the process. You know that its best to avoid the commissary on or around payday to save yourself from the old "blue-haired" (term coined by my mother, future blue-hair) officer's wives who seem to think they own the place. You also know that if you don't do your shopping by the Monday following payday the entire joint will be picked over and you'll be going without certain necessities until next time. You know the difference between an officer and an enlisted soldier and you've heard all about the "fraternization" rules among the service men and women but you also know that at the heart of things, you're all alike... whole families making sacrifices in the name of American freedom... and you all take personal ownership of the responisibility of protecting that freedom whether it be from moronic teenage anarchists or overly-powerful politicians. When it comes to American Pride- it's hard to beat a military brat.
Yes, its easy to think that after living the life, after driving your dad to the airport on a regular basis to see him leave the country for 9 months out of the year... only to return to children who are a few inches taller and thik they're a lot smarter... after watching your mother raise 3 small children on her own for extended periods of time while missing your father's companionship more than you or your siblings could ever imagine.... after experiencing the sacrifices that miltary families make at the hand of their parent's career, its quite easy to think you know what it's all about.
As an Army brat for the first 18 years of my life, I often feel like I know a thing or two about what military life is like. You pack your things and board a plane every 2 or so years and move to a new house (that looks like every other house in the neighborhood) in a new state only to pack everything up again 2 years later and repeat the process. You know that its best to avoid the commissary on or around payday to save yourself from the old "blue-haired" (term coined by my mother, future blue-hair) officer's wives who seem to think they own the place. You also know that if you don't do your shopping by the Monday following payday the entire joint will be picked over and you'll be going without certain necessities until next time. You know the difference between an officer and an enlisted soldier and you've heard all about the "fraternization" rules among the service men and women but you also know that at the heart of things, you're all alike... whole families making sacrifices in the name of American freedom... and you all take personal ownership of the responisibility of protecting that freedom whether it be from moronic teenage anarchists or overly-powerful politicians. When it comes to American Pride- it's hard to beat a military brat.
Yes, its easy to think that after living the life, after driving your dad to the airport on a regular basis to see him leave the country for 9 months out of the year... only to return to children who are a few inches taller and thik they're a lot smarter... after watching your mother raise 3 small children on her own for extended periods of time while missing your father's companionship more than you or your siblings could ever imagine.... after experiencing the sacrifices that miltary families make at the hand of their parent's career, its quite easy to think you know what it's all about.
I know now that I don't.
It is only now with hindsight and maturity that I realize I haven't got the slightest clue what it is like to serve our country. I don't know the first thing about fighting for freedom and the burden of protecting a nation of largely unknowing and disrespecting civilians. I might know what it is like to miss your daddy and worry for his safety as he defends the country in a foreign land but I know nothing of what it is like to leave your entire family behind and extend faith to the Lord that they will be safe, healthy, and protected while you are away. In truth, I don't know a thing about sacrifice. Its because of my dad and others like him that most of us never will have to.
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