Image by StevenM_61 via Flickr
When you hear someone say it’s Veteran’s Day, what comes to mind? Many express thanks for the service of brave men and women, and the sacrifice they give. Sounds great doesn’t it. Yet, most of us have no idea of the sacrifices the families our service men and women quietly make. The families of Veteran’s often are overlooked and unless you have lived it, you really have no idea.
Some facts to consider this Veteran’s Day 2011.
Our country currently has about 100,00.00 trps in Afghanistan, and by the end of the year, all but enough to staff/protect our embassy will remain in Iraq.. 1750 US service men and women have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001. 4801 US service men and women have been killed in Iraq since 2003. Over 32700 US troops have been wounded in both wars. These members of our military have parents, brothers and sisters, spouses and hundreds of thousands of children. In an article published in USA Today, children (age 3-8) make 18% more visits to Dr.’s for behavioral problems, and 19% more visits for stress disorders of deployed parents.
Most of us have a similar story growing up. We enter into an elementary school, perhaps stay in the same school until we are old enough for high school. If we are involved in sports, often we’ll compete with and against our friends and neighbors for years. Our lives have a semblance of stability, and we take that for granted because we know nothing else. How many of us move to different parts of the U.S. or even the world every 2 1/2 – 3 years?
The children who grow up in the military have a completely different childhood. I know, I lived it. My father retired after 26 1/2 years at the grade of Chief Master Sargeant, and my mother was an Officer when she resigned her commission to marry my father. In the 50′s female officers and enlisted men were not allowed to fraternize between the ranks. I was born in England, moved to Arizona, the Philippine Islands, California, and moved to the panhandle of Florida, where my dad retired. When I spend time with my current friends, some of them have known each other since grade school, that is something that is foreign to me.
I hear of deployments that stretch 18 months in Iraq or Afghanistan, and for some, this is their 3rd or 4th deployment during this period of war. We hear of this, think wow – that’s gotta be tough, and then go about our daily lives. Turn off your TV, radio, and turn away from the computer to take a moment and think of everything that you have seen your children accomplish over the last year. If you were in the military and deployed at war, you would have missed it all. More importantly, your child would not be able to share all of those moments with you. When your son played his first T-ball game, where you able to be there? There are countless sons and dads/moms that were not able to share these moments. When your daughter was in her first school fashion show, did you help her get ready? Deployed mom/dads not only couldn’t help, but were not there to see the gleam in their daughter’s eyes when all eyes were on her.
During the Vietnam War, we lived in the Philippine Islands, and then Northern California. My father flew Medical Evacuation missions and would deploy away from us for a month or two, would come back for a couple of weeks, and then redeploy. My mother did her best to teach me how to play baseball, my uncle ( a long distance truck driver) taught me how to ride and fix a bicycle. Friends of my dad were always dropping by the house. During this time, we always lived on the air force base, so all of my friends were living the same life. As an 8-year-old, that is all I knew. A lot of people I know are genuinely supportive of our troops and military, but truly can’t fully appreciate the sacrifice of the families.
On this Veteran’s Day, let’s do more than say thanks and have a day off from work. Veteran’s Day also starts the preparations for Thanksgiving and the Christmas Holidays. Let’s make Veteran’s Day more than just a day, make it a sentiment for the season.
Charities begin the push for holiday donations for the needy. In every area of this country, there are charities and groups that focus on helping the military families of the deployed. Contact your nearest military base or even recruiting office for contact information. The next time you redecorate your house, or replace holiday decorations for you house, don’t throw the old items away. Chances are your furnishings will be well received for donations, and put to great use helping a military family.
As you travel this holiday season, if you fly chances are you’ll see a member of the armed forces with their family.The next time you are in line at a store and you see a man in uniform holding his daughter, or a woman holding her son’s hand, take the time to tell that child how proud we are of their parent’s. Our service men and women didn’t make their commitment for our gratitude, but the expression of thanks can mean so much to them. Their children have every right to be proud. As they grow up and really understand, their pride in the character of their parents will help shape them forever.
