Veterans' Day

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day, the day all the veterans on social media post photos of themselves in uniform, and those who never served hit the like or the love button, and say "Thanks for your service," the day of mattress and car sales, and the chance for veterans to get a free meal or appetizer at Applebees or Outback. For me though, especially this year, Veterans' Day is a day I reflect back on the hundreds, possibly thousands, of servicemen, servicewomen, government civilians and contractors who I served with for over 30 years of my life. From entry in basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, to technical training at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS, to duty assignments in England, North Dakota, South Carolina, and Florida, to deployments and conferences and training all over the globe, the experiences and relationships are so integral to who I am it is impossible to explain to anyone who has never served in the military. The face of every single person I met is emblazoned into my memory--they were and always will be my family. The passage of time has no bearing on that relationship--I could just as easily start up a conversation as if I just saw them yesterday. 

You see, relationships in the military are not based on personality, background, religion, or politics. Even if there are people you may not agree with or even like, those things don't even figure into the equation. There just is not time for those trivialities when you have to depend on someone you do not even know to file your records correctly, to fix the airplane you may pilot, to make sure all the tools are in the right place, to ensure weapons will fire and parachutes will open, to take care of your dependents when you are away, and myriad other functions. You know the person you give a job to will follow your orders, and your boss trusts you to do the same. There is a structure of cooperation and interdependence in the military that still boggles my mind today--watch a base process 2000 personnel and all required cargo and equipment for deployment in 24 hours, and you will see what I mean. 

But the crux of being a veteran is not the job I did or the uniform I wore or the rank I achieved or the medals I earned. It is the unbreakable bond of a family of men and women who served their country with unabashed pride. For those who have never served in the military the camaraderie and closeness we share is incomprehensible. Our connection transcends distance, time, and station in life; put two veterans who have never met in the same room for five minutes, and within that short period of time they have found that connection and are talking like long lost siblings--because they are. I have lost family members, some through death and some through misunderstandings, and I have lost touch with a lot of friends and acquaintances I have made through the years who were not in the military. But those with whom I have served are always family, and I know with assurance I can always call on them if the need arises. 

And that is what makes retirement away from the military so damn hard--we can connect on some levels but never on as deep a level as with those who have served. So today I cherish those connections with my military brethren and think of them, the times we have shared, the fun we had, the hardships we endured, the difference we made in each others lives. You will always be close in my heart.