I can’t believe it’s been twelve years since that dreadful September day…09/11/01…so much has changed…our youngest son is still in the military…our second youngest son, the one that was injured and medically discharged from the military, is still suffering from his injury that has now affected his foot, hips, and back, and is still trying to get the appropriate treatment for his injury, but I’m afraid the VA doesn’t have the funds. Our president says that we’re going to be pulling troops home. I hope it’s soon…twelve years is a long time…and quite honestly, I don’t think that our country will ever be finished fighting the war on terror…our president is now trying to gain support for an attack on Syria…and unlike that time in 2001, our country is greatly divided, and since this administration, our constitutional rights, the very rights so many before us fought and died for, are being trampled on for “the greater good.” This year, I don’t have the same optimism I had twelve years ago. I’m genuinely concerned about the direction our country is headed. Our military is demoralized. I can’t add much to how I feel as I remember that horrible day twelve years ago, so once again, I’m just re-posting the same thing I wrote several years ago…
This is my post from last year (2009), but I wanted to do a little update as well…when our two youngest sons were still at home, they were members of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), the civilian branch of the Air Force. I had the privilege of serving as the Moral Leadership Officer in our local wing. It was a great organization for them to belong, and while cadets they learned to fly (free of charge) as well as learning to do SARs (search and rescues)…they also got their first taste of the military through the hands on training they received. Jacob even earned the Mitchell Award, the equivalent of a Boy Scout’s Eagle award. That gave him the privilege of entering the military a grade higher. He was injured as he was completing his final testing in basic training and was in convalescence for about three months before being medically discharged from the Navy. He now sufferers from the knee injury which has affected his back, hips, and foot. He is in constant pain, but has a good attitude in spite of not being able to realize his dreams of becoming a pilot.
Our youngest son is still serving in the Navy, and four of the other cadets are in the military as well…two in the Air Force after completing ROTC, and two brothers who joined the Marines and are currently serving together in Afghanistan. I’m so proud of their accomplishments, and their service. Also, a young woman who has been a friend of our sons’ since childhood is in the Navy and about to be deployed to Afghanistan. I know they have not chosen an easy path.
When I was a child growing up in the sixties and seventies, it was during the Vietnam conflict (as it was known back then)…I remember thinking that I hoped I would not grow up and have sons that would have to go off to war. Now having three sons that have all served in the military, I am proud of their service, and yet feel sorrow for all those who have paid the highest price for the many freedoms we enjoy in our great country. I dedicate this day to all our sons and daughters who continue to dedicate themselves for our safety, and continue to remember all those who lost their lives that fateful day nine years ago. I’m hoping that one year from today our sons and daughters will once again be out of harm’s way.
And here is my post from one year ago (2009)…
Our two youngest sons were still at home…seniors…I was home schooling…we were in the middle of our class day when our daughter called from work…in tears, crying…saying that planes were crashing into buildings…told us to turn on the television…we tuned in just in time to see the first World Trade tower collapse…we watched in horror…in disbelief…it looked like a Hollywood movie…we sat glued to the television…heard about the other hijacked planes…listened to the news as it was announced that all flights were ordered to be grounded…heard the local news about our area power plants and the Garrison dam being put on the highest security levels…got the call that our oldest son, who had recently completed his tour of duty with the US Army and had enlisted in the Army National Guard, was put on high alert and had his equipment stowed in the trunk of his car in case he was suddenly called up…wondering if the madness would stop…being comforted by the many prayer meetings that sprung up all over the country…feeling tremendous sorrow for all the families who lost loved ones in the attacks…feeling proud of the way our country pulled together…of the outpouring of patriotism, of the increase in the displays of the American flag…feeling sadness and loss from watching the memorial services…and then watching as so many of our local young people entered the military, including our two youngest sons…many of them serving in Iraq and Afghanistan…
…feeling proud yet possessing a certain sadness that our youngest son just re-enlisted for six more years in the US Navy…
We remember the horror, the heroism, the tremendous cost of our freedom…and we honor those who paid the ultimate price with our memories and our unending gratitude…we will never forget you…and may we never forget that freedom isn’t free…
Thanks for stopping by today…and remember…freedom isn’t free…
What say you?