My Favorite Marine--Thank You Veterans!

Tomorrow is Veterans Day and I hope you will take the time to thank the veterans you know for serving our country.

We would not be enjoying the freedoms we have without their sacrifices. Maybe that is what makes me so frustrated when I see many in our government today TAKING away our personal liberties and GIVING away that hard fought freedom to world governing bodies. But that is a subject for another day.

Tomorrow is the day for honoring the Vets you know.

On the left is my favorite Vet, my dad.

Dad could have had a deferment for WW2, because he was needed on the family farm and his older brother was already in the military. But never one to shirk his duty, he enlisted in the Marines anyway.

Dad's Marine Corps experience impacted him in a positive way for the rest of his life. We always enjoyed hearing his stories about Guadalcanal. The Marine Corps put Dad's natural mechanical ability to work and trained him to be an aircraft mechanic. That training helped him find a job after the war as an auto mechanic and later a service manager for Sorerens Ford.

Like most people in my age group, our fathers and uncles served in WW2. My dad's brothers served too, both as Army medics. His younger brother served in Africa and his big brother won the Silver Star in France. My father-in-law ran communication lines (wires) behind enemy lines in the Battle of the Bulge. No wonder Tom Brokaw refers to these men as The Greatest Generation!

But Veterans, both male and female, range from young to old. After 9/11, I was very impressed with the number of young people stepping forward to fight the terrorists. One such young man is my neighbor's son. I have known that boy since he was 3 years old. He enlisted in the Marines and just finished his tour in Iraq. Now his younger brother, recently enlisted in the Marines, will be shipping out later this month.

Our country owes these men and women a debt of gratitude, so don't forget to say, Thank You!

If you are fortunate enough to know a WW2 Vet, ask them about their experiences. We won't have them around forever, and their stories are fascinating.

I pray for those in service now, daily. If you are a person of faith, I encourage you to do the same.