Today I opened my Facebook and Soldier surprises daughter is the first story I see. I watched this heartwarming story over my morning yogurt and thought this would be something great to write about later. I scrolled through some of the comments posted and after reading some of them, I had to post something myself. This is what I wrote in response to another military spouse's comment:
Amen@ Brandi Neal...I am right there with you! My husband has done two tours in Iraq. The last tour he missed the birth of his twin boys and their first six months. I can't tell you how many holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and other stuff he has missed just so the rest of the American public still has the freedom to voice their opinions. Pointless war? Maybe, but the fact of the matter is we are at war. We as a nation need to remember the sacrifices of our service members and their familes and support their effort. Welcome home SSG Johnson....enjoy your family!
Being a military spouse, I have a strong sense of support for our fellow men and women in uniform. I was appalled that some people who commented were going on and on about the politics of the war. Obviously they missed the whole point of the story. The story was meant to show the unsung heros and what they sacrifice, not another debate on whether we should be at war or not.
What most people fail to realize are the things that these brave men and women give up to protect our freedoms here at home. The birth of a child, the death of a family member, birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, soccer games, award ceremonies, band concerts, and weddings are just some of the things in a long list that they will miss in the course of a single deployment. This doesn't include all the other things every parent should not have to miss like teaching your child to ride a bike or the first time your child takes their first step. It is a sacrifice that each soldier, airman, or seaman will gladly make over and over again. Our society has come to expect the rights that we have and have begun to take for granted the people who protect them.
Not only do servicemembers make sacrifices, the families that get left behind do also. There is a husband or a wife left home to carry on with daily family life while the other is absent. Sure we learn to become independent and carry on. It doesn't change the fact that we are left worrying day in and day out about the safety of our other half. When we do hear from them it usually isn't the best phone connection, hearing every other word, or the internet is slow at best. We deal with the trials of being lonely and stressed. We are expected to stand tall and not show any weakness while secretly inside we are just yearning for the return of our hero. It is one of the most trying times for a military spouse.
I think it is time that we as a country stand behind our men and women in uniform along with the families they leave behind and show them how much they are really appreciated. This is my challenge to you; the next time you see a veteran make a point to stop and thank them for their service. Also show some support and send a cup of coffee to a soldier deployed through Cup of Joe for a Joe.
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