We are a military family. My son-in-law is a Warrant Officer in the Army, my daughter and Army veteran, and my son a Marine Corps veteran. All have served multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a blessing that they are still alive. I cannot be more proud of my children and how they have served their country without question. Sadly, they have lost good friends and been to several burials and wakes. I honor them and all that serve, and understand the sacrifices made by the families at home.
In 2005 I sent all 3 to war at the same time that January and I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown that year. It has been a life changing event. By the time my son was 23 he had served 3 long hard tours, and it shows. He has had 7 concussions and a laundry list of other injuries. His veteran friends are injured as well and they take care of each other. A friend that lost his arms to an RPG is never without help in anything he needs. Another has been pieced together from a mortar blast. He is in his second year of college working on his degree. They work out faithfully to keep his lung capacity growing. Another was lost this year to a fast cancer that killed him within 2 months. The list goes on. They all have nightmares that "Haji" has caught them. While driving, something as simple as litter blowing across the road sends them into a sweat and they are always looking around.
The photo has my son-in-law as a pall bearer. The casket contains a young Army Private from Alabama. God Bless our Soldiers and their families.
2 comments:
What a difficult post to read - we are remembering your Memorial Day over here in the UK too.
xxx
Thank you Martha Basset. It was a hard to post to write, and I wondered if I had shared to much. But people should understand what sacrifices are being made. It has been my dogs, and good friends that have kept me from going completely under.
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