Veteran's Day

Veterans Day, Remembrance Day, Armistice Day in every free country, it's a day to remember those who served and those who gave the supreme sacrifice for our many freedoms. Military service goes back a way’s in my family...my paternal grand father served in WWI, my dad in WWII and my son was in the Air Force during Desert Storm. Thankfully my son served stateside except for a short time he was sent to England. My dad served in a railroad battalion in Italy, Sicily, France and North Africa. He continued in his civilian job in the U.S. Army as a train dispatcher in those locations. I have no details about my grandfather's military service, just pictures of him in his uniform and the Bible that was given to him when he went off to serve.

All of my family members came home, safe. Today we remember all veterans, those past and present. We thank the ones who are with us still and we honor those who didn't come home. Hundreds of thousands from all peace loving countries.

I've had the privilege of working with nurses who were in the military and served in Viet Nam. Their life over there was no picnic. In the United States women have been serving in the military since the American Revolution. I read in one report that there are almost 2 million women veterans in our country. I know here in my area, I live very close to an Air Force base and there are many women pilots flying those big cargo planes over my house.

We must also remember the 4 legged veterans. The United States started training dogs for the war effort in 1942. They were used extensively in WWII, the Korean conflict, Viet Nam, Desert Storm and even today, they presence is seen in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

May we all pause for a moment today and remember what these brave men and women have done for us.............Linda