The holiday season is nearly upon us. Before we know it, we’ll be feasting on Thanksgiving dinner, attending the office holiday party, exchanging gifts with friends and family, and ushering in a new year.
But, first, comes what is undoubtedly one of the most important holidays on the American calendar: Veterans Day.
I would venture that every single American has a personal connection to a veteran; that’s certainly the case in our office. My father (who founded our company) was a Sergeant in the Army, stationed in Alaska after WWII, and Tammy, our Project Manager, is an Army vet. If you’re a regular Thought for the Weekend reader, you know I often ask our entire team to chime in on the subject hand. When I asked them for stories about their personal connections to veterans, the enthusiastic (and emotional) outpouring reinforced the importance of taking time to thank and honor those who serve in our armed forces. What follows is perhaps our longest post ever, but I couldn’t imagine leaving a single story out. We hope that you are equally touched by these snapshots of our country’s heroes and inspired to make a point to thank the veterans in your life this year:
Kendra: My stepfather was a Sergeant in the Army, and he now serves with the National Guard. He served in Germany from ’85-’87; was deployed to Panama for “just cause” in ’89; was deployed for Desert Shield/Storm from ’90-’91; and served in Iraq in both 2004 and 2009. I cannot imagine the things he saw, but I think nothing could have prepared him for the time when I was 11 years old and he tried to teach me to drive a Bush Hog in our rural property’s huge backyard. I accidentally ran over his foot! We still laugh about it to this day. My step-dad always puts a smile on my face, and I appreciate all he has done for me and our country.
Mary: The best Christmas gift I ever received was the year my sister, an Airborne Medic in the Army, was stationed in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm for nine months. She flew home on Christmas Eve and surprised us all. My husband, Dale, also served in the Army Airborne division. I tease them both, that for the life of me, I cannot understand why they would jump out of a perfectly good airplane! I am so grateful for both of them and for all of the servicemen and women who protect our country.
Pam: I have a lot of military service people in family, and I grew up in New Bern, NC, which is near both Cherry Point and Camp Lejeune; this allowed me to learn early on what military personnel do and what they go through for our country. Both my grandfather, a Corporal in the Marines, and my favorite great uncle, who was in the Navy, fought in WWII. My father was in the Army and fought in Vietnam, an experience he rarely talks about. But, he is very active in his local VFW, which is where I got married. One of my favorite photos from that day is of the two us during the Father-Daughter dance–the American flag hangs in the background. While stationed in Vietnam, Dad went to Hong Kong and bought some china for my grandmother; he paid a fortune to ship it back home. That china has been passed down to me, and I cherish it because my Dad is my hero.
Shelly: While on my way to visit a family friend, Lori, in Kauai, Hawaii, I stopped in Washington, D.C. I went to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to take a photo of the name Kenneth Good (see header above) as a gift for her. Kenneth Good was Lori’s father. My great grandfather, Grandpa Sam, was also a veteran. We used to drive to the mountains of West Virginia to visit him once or twice a year. He would always give me a $5 bill, which for a little girl, was very big deal. While visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, I realized, of course, that those $5 bills were nothing compared to the gift he and the others who served have given our country.
Tammy: My family is rich with military service. My grandfather served in the Army during WW2; he was stationed in the Pacific and his photo is featured on the WW2 Memorial in Washington, D.C. He sent my grandmother post cards from the various islands in the vicinity, but never his exact location. She kept those postcards until the day she died. My father and one of my uncles served in the Navy during Vietnam. My Uncle Mel was an Army infantry soldier at the same time; he is proud of his service, but it was difficult to witness the emotional toll the time in Vietnam took on him.
My father was stationed on the USS Skagit, and even developed a website dedicated to her and her crew. Years later, when he learned that my family lived near “Ray”, the liberty boat driver on the Skagit, my father asked to go visit him. Our family visited Ray for years and enjoyed his colorful stories of the time he and my Dad were in the Navy together. My husband and I became good friends with Ray and continued to visit him until he passed away in 2011.
My brother served 4 years in the Navy, as a cook stationed in the Philippines; he is now a DAV representative in Chicago. My brother-in-law is retired from the Navy, my father-in-law and step-father were both Marines. And, I have a niece who served in the Air Force.
I served in the Army and was stationed in Bamberg, Germany with the 1st Infantry Division Field Artillery. I deployed to Bosnia in 1997. After Germany, I was with the 52nd Engineers, Combat Heavy in Fort Carson, CO. Then I became an Army recruiter in Spokane, WA. During this time, I met my husband, who served 4 years in the Navy, 2 years in the Army, and 19 years in the Coast Guard. When I left the Army, I remained an Army recruiter for a pilot program where civilians recruit for the service.
I once asked my father if he was disappointed that I joined the Army instead of the Navy like him. He told me it didn’t matter; what mattered was that I served. I am proud of my family’s military service, and I know my father is too; he still has every medal and coin I earned while I was in the Army.
Looking for a way to thank the amazing heroes at home or across our nation? Here’s a blog that lists 100 great ways to honor a veteran.
Salute our veterans this weekend,
~Bob
