For those we love, for those we've lost, for those who fought for our freedom

It might come as a surprise to some of you that I am indeed a military kid, not brat, kid. Why? I never moved around, my dad did all the moving around (that's a whole other story)....and yes, my parents are still married. And probably happier than most married couples who have spent all their years together. Actually, the distance I believe, is what has kept my parents together... (again another story)...

Today marks a truly special day, Veterans Day. Military has been a huge part of my life growing up as I grew up on/around the largest base on the east coast, second largest in the United States.

Nothing touches your heart more than when you are in the mall, working, or around town and you see a young man or woman, a middle aged man or woman, an old man or woman with a missing appendage, walking with a limp, or severely scarred. It makes me think, they went to a foreign country, they fought, they didn't know who was their enemy, who had their back... friends were lost, brothers, sisters, dads, moms, uncles, cousins... the list goes on.

So we see these guys in bars, restaurants, whatever it may be...we see the younger ones drinking, obnoxiously. It's a big joke, those damn Marines... (I am guilty of this) but maybe they are drinking to forget. Drinking to forget something that you and I can never even begin to imagine.

My father has deployed several times during war time, my father was in the Pentagon when it was struck on September 11, 2001, my father retired as a Lt. Col of the Marine Corps. My father is my hero, my idol, and a truly remarkable leader.

He's never really spoke of his experiences, not with me, not with my brother. I don't know why.


So today, I was at my internship griping about how the Internet wouldn't work. Dabbling and complaining in my head about how it's raining and today sucks. My advisor came in and asked if I'd be interested in going to a Veteran's Day ceremony at the Schwartz Center. I won't lie, I cried a little bit at the ceremony. I always cry when I hear the national anthem or I see the old veterans from WWII, Korean, Vietnam conflicts or any other war. I was amazed at how many Iraq/Afghanistan veterans were there, that now attend CFCC.


All I am saying is, everyday we don't think about these courageous people. We don't think about two men dressed in blues, walking up to a front door, knocking on it, holding the flag folded in a perfect triangle, the phone call in the middle of the night to tell someone their loved one has been injured. We don't think of how those injured who have lost parts of their lives forever, like playing basketball with their kids. We don't think of that. And no, it's not just in the movies. It's very real.


We don't think of them everyday, but today, please take a moment to think of them, their time, their love, their commitment to our country and essentially us and our freedom.

Semper Fi <3