With Veteran's day tomorrow, I thought I would take a moment to reflect on my dad and the commitment he made to his country. He served 26 years in the U.S. Navy, something I really didn't appreciate or fully understand till I got older.
Growing up I only looked at it as a job that took my father away for long periods of time, I resented the various moves, I resented that he missed out on holidays or birthdays or father-daughter dances.
When we moved to a state that didn't take him out to sea every six months, it was definitely an adjustment period, who was this man that was now home and why was he trying to tell us what to do, that was mom's job and even then I still didn't realize the commitment one makes when joining the service....it didn't really dawn on me, till my father retired from the Navy and going through his retirement ceremony and I cried only then realizing that perhaps there were times that he didn't want to leave us, but it was his job and regardless of how he felt, he had to go.
As an adult and parent, I realize how lucky I was to have had the opportunities that we had - how happy I felt when we would go to the base and eagerly watch the ships coming into port while the servicemen were all lined up on the ship and I would try to find my dad among all the servicemen. Or when my dad would take me to his office and let me type on his typewriter, or play the one game they had on the computer and the nights we would get to come on the ship and get to eat with him; I can still remember the smell of the ship: metal and diesel fuel, sometimes tar-like. Or the great friendships you would make with the other military families.
Or all the places we got to live and experience - although growing up I absolutely hated moving and the process of having to meet new people, new schools and the one year I changed three schools in a matter of six months and I remember my dad walking me into one of the schools, trying to ease my nerves and hugged me and said it will be okay and all I wanted to do was cry and say, don't leave me here, but I didn't because you adjust...you meet some great people that turn into friends. Looking back it definitely helped shape me into the person I am and I wouldn't be the person I am had it not been for all those experiences. It's not an easy life for anyone involved, but it's life just the same and I want to just say thanks, Dad. Thanks for your service to this country and for giving me the opportunity to be a military brat - I'm proud to be your daughter!
And thanks to all the servicemen past and present....not all appreciate or fully understand the type of commitment it takes, but thank you.
"On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind. As a nation, let it be our pledge that when they return home, we leave no veteran behind" - Dan Lipinski
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