Happy Veterans Day

This is a nostalgic week for me. Yesterday we celebrated our 234th Marine Corps birthday and today we honor our Veterans. My husband and I come from WWII and Korean War era families who fought proudly in the U.S. military. His father was in both the Marine Corps and Air Force; he served at the tender age of 16 in the Korean War, one of the Frozen Chosen. My grandfather was a US Army paratrooper who landed in France on D-day; my father was a Marine; my step-father was in the Navy; my uncle was in the Army.

The years in the Corps brought me closer to my family, made me long for travel, and I found life long friends. It's hard to find the closeness with new friends that you have with childhood and military friends. There's a bond that forms with them regardless of where you come from in your civilian life. It's not easily explained, but it's known among Veterans.

My husband and I often talk about how we miss the Corps, then we see our two young sons and wonder if they will follow in our footsteps. We proudly display our Marine Corps flag just below our American flag. It's a part of who we have become and our drive to succeed to become better.

On this day I want to challenge each of you. I challenge you to seek out a veteran and thank them. Hug them. Tell them their sacrifice of service to protect your freedom, our way of life, is appreciated. It's a small task compared to the experiences those who have served and are serving have been through, but it means a lot to them.

God Bless America and thank you.