Everyday is Memorial Day for me. Since I live just a short distance from Joint Base Lewis McChord and Madigan medical center; I see the sacrifices that our service people make daily and I read of some that won't be coming home also.
As a drafted Vietnam era Army veteran my heart bleeds for those who came home with not even a thank you. They were caught just serving their country and trying to survive in a war no one says they supported. Instead they were spat on at the airport and called baby killers.
I returned to Active duty in the Navy in the early 70s as a Cold War Sailor and more than once my ship received letter bombs. These bombs were sent from our own countrymen who didn't understand what a deterrent mission was. How can sending a bomb in the mail be a peaceful demonstration?
I had a client who served in the Peace Corps in Africa who had to sleep with a loaded pistol under her pillow because of nightly raids on the village she was serving. She had never thought she would have to armed to serve in the Peace Corps. She told me of several of her friends that were raped and/or killed while serving in a humanitarian cause. Her dad sent her a bigger gun once he found she was under constant fear. She got my thanks as well as all of those others who serve the world over.
So what I want this post to reflect is my conviction that all those who serve need our constant appreciation for a thankless, lonely and dangerous job. I can't thank those who have passed; I can just thank those who serve with honor. For me it's not a three day weekend; it's a daily thank you!
Thank you for reading and commenting on my blog post! This post was researched, authored and the photo taken by Paul S. Henderson, © 2015, all rights reserved. All information is deemed reliable however it should be independently verified by the reader. Any reproduction of this blog post is prohibited without the prior written permission of the author
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