Veteran's Day Salute

After a weekend of duty at Camp Blanding the soldier that was in these boots looked just as tired as they do. I am glad these boots didn't have to go to Iraq this year, but they still get tough workouts. These are actually fairly new boots - the pair that did do Iraqi Freedom duty actually wore off almost all their sole and #2 son tossed them out. Now he wishes he had kept them, but soldiers don't think that way when they first get home. At first it is just to get rid of, or put away, all those reminders of living a war. But it has been several years now since he has returned to the USA, and even now we still get new snippets of stories as #2 is more comfortable relating to us stories of his year in Iraq.

Our school district participates in Veteran's in the Classroom Program. This week #2 son gets to spend a day in a middle school classroom relating tales of living American history to school kids. He has collected up the few artifacts that did make it home and that I have saved for him, his two commendations, and he has made an outline of ideas to talk on concerning military life. I am guessing that of all his dangerous encounters with hostiles, the episode with the camel spider will be the most dramatic!

On this Veteran's Day, I appreciate all the men and women that served our country - and even now are in harm's way. God bless them, their families, and give wisdom to our leaders.