Honor

Every Veteran's Day when I call Aaron, I usually ask him if he's tried on his Marine's uniform lately. He always laughs at my lame joke because, over a decade later, we both know that thing probably doesn't fit.  But what hasn't changed in in a decade is the way he carries himself, with a deep sense of Marine pride. What hasn't changed is way he quietly exudes loyalty for his country, and what is most admirable is the way he is teaching his son about honor. His uniform might be in the back of a closet somewhere, underneath a plastic dry cleaner's bag and a layer of dust, but my brother doesn't need a uniform for me to know that he is one of the few, one of the proud.

I've talked about Daniel's deployment here and here.  These days, Daniel's emails and letters home are few and far between.  His words, though when they do come, are so funny, and I can hear his voice in the lines. Abby sent him a letter early on in his deployment asking what kind of food he ate and if it was all powdered. He wrote back telling Abby he's not an astronaut. And then he proceeded to explain to her what he was doing and the animals that he had seen.  He told her that the food was good, not powdered, and there was plenty of it.  He requested that she send him some name ideas for the camel spider that his bunk mate managed to capture. She sat down immediately after that letter and wrote him a response. She's been sending him a letter every week or so since.

Since today is Veteran's Day, if I may, I would like to suggest that you read about Tom Brokaw's Bravest Families in America.  Mr. Brokaw was on Oprah on January 27th, 2011, along with Bob Woodward and First Lady Michelle Obama, talking about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the episode included interviews with a few of the Bravest Families in America.

The current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are the longest in United States history—longer than World War II and Vietnam. Tom says it's not just the length of time that has made these current wars different than past ones—it's our country's level of engagement. He says World War II united our country in an effort to save the world, and while we were deeply divided during Vietnam, the whole country was still very aware about what was happening. Today's wars are not something the typical American thinks about every day, and according to Tom, "less than 1 percent of the American population is bearing 100 percent of the burden of battle."

We are, all of us, luckier because of the men and women who make a daily commitment to serve our country and protect our freedom.  We should honor them every day.