Proud Of Our Military Family

My sister sent this to me, I found it very touching. (D - I hope you don't mind me putting this up - let me know if you do)

Defenders of Our Country
By D.

I once asked my mother how she felt about her career in the military. She is a doctor, and her job is fixing people up when they get hurt in her branch of the military. She has been at this job, her career for well over 20 years.

Her reply was that not only are persons in the military participating in battles all over the world, they are defenders of the very things that we hold near and dear to us. For those that do not support the position that whatever President and whatever Political Party may be in office at that time, she as a military career woman is to do whatever she can to safeguard the rights of those people in this country to live in Freedom. Whether you love the actions that we are engaged in, or hate them, her job and that of countless others is to protect and defend that right you have to express yourself freely.

Her job and that of countless others is to jealously guard the United States against all enemies, known and unknown. To guarantee that you have safety and security from those who would cause harm to the United States.

When I was growing up, it was a big joke at my High School to say to me "Your Momma wears combat boots". I had only lived with my mother a short time, she was my aunt that adopted me, but those words cut through me and stung me like freezing rain, she was my Momma! They pierced my soul, and made me ashamed. Why could my Momma not do like other doctors and have a private practice and a large home in a swanky part of town? Why could we not live in one place all of my life?

Why was it that she had to go and run, no matter what the weather may be like, so that she could pass her annual physical? Why was it, that in the middle of the night, when she would get paged, that we would have to drop all of our plans for the following day?

Because, instead of truckloads of money and swanky houses with good addresses, my mother has chosen the life of a US Soldier. Yes, the money that she earns is good, but at what cost? For over 20 years, being bounced from one post to the next? For over 20 years having to continually forward your mail over and over and over? For over 20 years, having to pack and unpack like a bad rerun?

Yes, the Armed Forces do have a lot of perks, too. My mother has been to some of the most beautiful places in the world. The mountains that lie near Fort Huachuca. The rice paddies in Vietnam. The wondrous beauties of Seoul. The culture and learning in Washington, DC. The beauty of the rolling hills in San Antonio. Many more posts than that, too. Alaska. El Salvador (I think it was El Salvador. Maybe it was somewhere else) Where I have a picture of my mother and father (Who, by the way is a retired member of the Armed forces, and well decorated in his own right) manning a booth. Both of them wearing hats and grins. My father has been to Saudi Arabia and many more places, where he tells the best story about being served rattlesnake, or something equally un-American, and having to eat it as not to offend the host.

Perks like waking up and seeing rabbits run across your yard because you are not in a big city. Perks like driving up and then down a fire break (rocks used on mountains, so that, in case of forest fires, the rocks will stop the fire from going any farther) in a new Isuzu Trooper, just to see if the Isuzu can do it.

Perks like commissaries, or PX's, where there are some discounts to be had. So many perks.

Years have gone by, many in fact, since I lived at home with my Dr. Mom, and still worry about my mother. She is still in the service, still a defender of our great nation.

Now, the boots have been passed, as my son prepares to make his way into the Army. I have all of the emotions of a nervous hen. I want so badly for this to go well, but I also want to protect him.
My mother gave me a piece of very sage advice. She told me "He is the protector of the breach between freedom and evil. Between anarchy and order. Don't hold him back from his task."

So, now, I ask you to hold in your prayers my mother and my son as we are preparing to possibly go to war.

If you see me on the road, just honk your horn and yell "Your Momma wears combat boots!" and I will smile and wave back. Because you know what? She does, and my son does, too!

Hugs

D

That said, let's all keep our military in our prayers - regardless of your political afiliation or feelings concerning the posibility of war.