I’m ashamed to admit that it took untill my 40’s for me to really grasp it, and to be very grateful to our service people.

I wasn’t contrary to thankfulness. I wasn’t mean or disrespectful by any stretch. It took being in a relationship with an active duty Air Force woman. Ro and I started dating and almost immediately were separated by her deployment - my first time dealing with it. Then again she was deployed when we were newly married.

I’m a baby. We were separated for only 4 months or so, each time. A fraction of the time many, many others have to face. And yet the four month deployments were difficult. I missed her GREATLY. I love Ro for so many reasons. One of them is her sense of duty and the way in which she served with determination and her respect for the Air Force.

And for the first time, I had a new, closer understanding of what it is to men and women to sacrifice their “regular” lives and give tremendously of their selves.

So, to the men and women of the armed services, AND to their families, thank you very much. Not just on this Veterans Day, but on EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIVES.

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