Some of my clearest memories of Veterans' Day are watching my father bear a flag, in the parade, up East Main Street's rather steep hill to the old cemetery at the very top for the ceremony that would follow. Every year thru my teens, at 11:11a on 11/11, the area vets would being to march from the parking lot at the Catawissa VFW and head up thru town with dignity, receiving much respect from onlookers. My father is a Vietnam Vet, and like many who served there, had gone to do his patriotic duty and then quickly grew disillusioned, horrified, and has struggled with internal conflict for decades since then. There is a lot of unresolved anger, frustration, and jaded sourness.
So when I was growing up, my own views were shaped by watching him and listening to family discussions revolving around critical thinking, questioning, not blindly accepting, etc. Anti-establishment was one way to describe it accurately. I've a healthy dose of skepticism that can veer wildly into the unhealthy realm in a heartbeat.
When I met my husband, I learned a LOT about career military from an insider's perspective. This family is well on its way to being a military family, as both my husband and his youngest son are longhaulers and I have a feeling that several of the grands will choose to enlist as well. I've gained a fuller appreciation of what exactly the Coast Guard does, and what their spouses and families experience.
And I have to say, wow. Kudos to our military families. While I do think that we can streamline and more effectively spend our funds for the military, I am so impressed with what it is they do and how they do it that I do question what else it is that I think I know, that I really don't have an accurate picture of.
Thank you, to all our Veterans.
And every former service knows that no one serves alone. Without spousal support, service would be much harder. Spouses also serve, deserve a raise of the the glass, and a big thanks.
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