Honorable Service

My husband and I have observed lately that the general public has no idea what it means to "Serve your Country".  Where we are living now, the people in the community live a privileged and very easy lifestyle.  They know nothing of what a military family life is like.  Recently a couple asked us of my husband's most recent deployment, "Will you have to go back or are you done?" 

Done?  We were a little taken back.  As if they were saying well you went there and came back so you must be done.  Have they not heard of all the sacrifices many in the Army who have deployed so many more times than my husband has, possibly 3-4 times more.  Have they not heard of families who are spending more time apart than they are together?  Have they not heard of fathers and mothers struggling to keep their children safe and happy, having to cope with one or both parents being deployed?

I'm watching a Medal of Honor ceremony honoring two Army infantrymen who 50 years ago served and gave their lives in order to protect and defend their comrades and country.  One flew himself on a grenade to save his fellow soldiers.  Another commanded his squadron to move to safer ground while he stayed behind to ward off the oncoming enemy. One of these great men came from a family of great military service- all 6 sons and the father all served in the military and two other relatives are serving now, one in Afghanistan.  Why do the general public not know more about these great heroes?  Why is service to country not more of an honorable station in our society today?  Why are there not more families speaking to their children of the honor of service?

DH as asked to speak to the young men in our church's youth group this week about what he does in the military.  He could easily make this all about AFOSI and how it's the most wanted career field in the AF, and he'll briefly go over all that and about different things the AF does around the world, but he's going to take this unique opportunity to talk about Service, about the great and honorable opportunity it is to serve one's country.  He'll talk about honor and brotherhood, about service and sacrifice, and perhaps they'll THINK about military service.