Veterans Day and Memorial Day are two days that mean a great deal to my family. The men and women in the family have a long history of answering the call when the nation needed them. But it goes beyond that, they have done so in wartime and peace–as have so many other men and women across this great nations.
As I sit here this morning, I look across the room at my great-great-grandfather’s discharge from the Civil War. The history of his military service hangs next to it. If I walk into my office, I can look upon the flags given the family when my Uncles Joe and John died, veterans both. Uncle Joe served in World War II, seeing the horror of the war in Japan and the surrounding areas. Uncle John served in World War II, Korea and Viet Nam. He was a POW at least twice that I know of. Both survived their time in the Army and Navy respectively. But both carried home the scars that aren’t seen, scars they tried to hide even from themselves for so very long.
I think of my son, currently in the Air Force, and those dedicated young men and women he went to Texas A&M with and who were members of the Aggie Corps of Cadets with him.
I am so proud of all of them and they will never know just how thankful I am that they and those like them have stepped up to serve our nation.
I know I don’t have to say it.
I know many of you who have served in the military don’t expect to hear it.
But thank you. God bless you. Know you have not only my gratitude but the gratitude of my family and so many others for your service and the sacrifices you made to put on the uniform every day.
The featured image was made using Midjourney AI. I didn’t design it with today’s post in mind. But, when I saw it, I was reminded of the Korean War Memorial in Washington DC. My mother, son and I were there right after it first opened. Walking among the “soldiers”, seeing the haunted or determined looks on their faces, I couldn’t help but think of my own family members who served, especially in that war. So once again let me say thank you to every man and woman who donned the uniform, who answered the call and who served our nation.
