We have a different perspective

This is Veteran’s Day. It is the day we support the men and women who serve our country. No matter where or how they served, they served. It does not matter if we support the cause, but we need to support the people as our local Veteran’s Council President, Lori Grenfell, stated at our local Veteran’s Day service.

As military families, we are thankful for our military members’ service every day, but do we realize how different our perspective is compared to the civilian world? I am reminded of this fact every year at this event when I look around at the dwindling crowd of attendees and World War II and Korean War veterans. I am grateful for the people who do show up to thank these honorable people. I am not saying that the civilian population is lacking for not always thinking of the men and women who serve. That is what Veteran’s Day is for, to remind them. I just want to point out that we are different as military families. We support our troops directly every day, even when our active duty member retires or leaves the military. We cannot help but take it personally when something like the Cole or Fort Hood happens. We know people who were directly affected by the event, and even if we do not, our family was affected – the military family.

So on this day of remembrance, I want to thank not only the military veterans and the active duty members of our armed forces, but the families and spouses of those who serve or have served. We serve our country, too. My husband retired this past July of 2009. As I told my son when he said we used to be a military family, we will always be a military family.

Thank you to all of those who served and to all of those (us) who support them.

Rosemary