What Veterans Day Means To Me

Today is Veterans Day. It's a day set aside to honor those who served in the US Military either during wartime or during peacetime. Some people made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their life in defense of our freedoms and the freedoms of our allies.

Even people that served during peacetime still deserve our gratitude. They were willing to risk their lives to defend us if duty called. They may the sacrifice of being away from their family and friends for months if not years at a time to insure our freedom.

While I have never served in the military, many members of my family have. My father served in the Army during the Korean War. He didn't see any combat, during the Korean War my father was stationed in other countries including Germany. My father drove a tank and was ready to serve if called upon.

My father’s brother, my Uncle Conran was an Army Chaplin and served in Korea during the war. I had a couple of uncles that fought in World War II, and at least one of my uncles fought in Vietnam. I personally know people who thought in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of them never made it home, others came home with severe injuries including losing an arm or a leg.

I have the utmost respect for any man or woman who has ever worn a military uniform. Whenever I see someone in a military uniform, I thank them for their service. If I see someone wearing a hat that states they are a veteran, I will thank them.

So if you are a veteran and you are reading this, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. We really are the land of the free because of the brave. And you are the brave.

Even though I never met him, my father-in-law Andy Brzozwski served as a miIitary airplane mechanic in the Air Force. He is on the right in the picture below.