There is nothing that can make me tear up like watching a military homecoming video. The joy and relief and excitement that I know the family feels is overwhelming. If there is one thing that we should be proud of in this country, it is our military.
April is the month of the military child. These children are intensely proud, loyal and caring. I would know. I have been an Air Force brat my whole life. Being a military kid, you have a love/hate relationship with the armed forces. We hate our parent(s) having to be gone at times. We hate the long hours and the frequent moves. But we love the dedication and the opportunities we are given. I didn’t always appreciate this lifestyle, but I will defend our military to the end.
The military employs nearly 1.5 million people. This includes the Air Force, Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps. Including reserve personnel, this number exceeds two million. As of 2011, the United States spent not even five percent of the GDP on the military. Military personnel do anything from flying planes to fighting on the front lines to manning submarines. They are lawyers, doctors and linguists. They serve to protect our country here and abroad.
Someone who told me they don’t like the military found out my dad is in the Air Force, and asked what he did. When I said he is a lawyer, he said, “Oh, that’s different. It’s OK.” That ‘s where I had the biggest problem. There is no “good” job or “bad” job in the military. No one sees themselves as better than another because they are all doing the same thing: serving their country to protect every one of us. My dad may not fight on the front lines during a war or fly F-150’s over hostile air, but he serves this country just like any other military man or woman.
Whatever your stance on war is, there can only be pride and thankfulness for those who serve our country. Be thankful, for those of you that don’t want to do it yourself, that you have people that will risk their lives everyday to make sure you get to live the life you want.
Military homecoming videos hit me close to home. I see kids welcome home their mom or dad and I feel their joy and pride in their parents and their thankfulness to have them back. The same goes with patriotic songs. I don’t understand how anyone can listen to “God Bless the USA” or “Letters From Home” or even “The Star Spangled Banner” without feeling something.
Be thankful every day for the United States Military and those who serve to protect this country and everyone in it.
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