Did you know that May is Military Appreciation Month? I didn't either until I saw something online today. While Memorial Day is set aside to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom and Veterans' Day commemorates the ones who served and are still with us, May is set aside to celebrate our military personnel as a whole, both active duty and veterans.
While the branches each have unique ranks, training, jobs, bases and equipment as well as their own "personalities" that are joked about between them, the common thread amongst them all is strong character traits such as patriotism, loyalty, honor and sacrifice. Of course, that's not true 100% of the time, as some people join for the benefit of having college paid for and others have run out of options, but it is accurate for a large number of them.
We are a military family, and our Marine (along with his veteran uncle and grandpa) is among the ones who possess those strong character traits. He made the decision early in his high school years to serve our country as a result of a legacy passed down through our family. He wanted to sign up shortly after his 17th birthday which required parents' signatures. Some parents find this difficult, and while we had concerns (some of which were very well founded), we didn't want to stand in the way of what he was called to do. As his mom, my job was to prepare him by instilling ethics, morals and values he needed to succeed in any situation, then pray as he goes about his Father's business.
From his time in boot camp, through all of his training and a deployment, I have prayed for him. There have been hard times of disappointment, silence for much longer than a mom likes, too many miles of separation, holidays that we weren't together and much more. There have also been moments of wonderful celebration like his graduation from boot camp as well as specialized schooling and of course, any leave or holiday our family was able to be together.
He, like so many of his brothers-in-arms, has encountered so much more adversity than us here at home. He has slept in harsh conditions or not at all, walked and run more miles than any of us could keep track of, been exposed to extreme weather conditions with little to no shelter, had run-ins with strange creatures and vegetation and so on. Being a young male, I would venture to guess he misses home cooked meals, his friends, his church (I hope anyway) and his family the most. I also think he's learned more than we could ever teach him about resilience, dealing with disappointment, interpersonal relationships and persistence.
These ups and downs are difficult and uplifting by turns, but we're not martyrs, and we're not perfect. We have endured some hardship, but not nearly as much as families who lost sons and daughters in combat. All of life is a matter of perspective, and we can hold onto our gratitude while at the same time missing our son and eagerly anticipating him returning home.
We know other friends who have joined within the same time frame. We are partial to the young gentleman up the street who joined the Marine Corps Reserves shortly after our son shipped out as well as a feisty red-headed young lady who will soon be an Army MP. They both possess those strong characteristics mentioned above, and we are proud of them, too.
In honor of them and Military Appreciation Month, I decided to sweeten the deal described in the last blog. If the service member you nominate in the comments wins, you will receive a gift card, too! So tell us all about your favorite hero and how we can pray for you and him or her!