A Day To Stop And Remember

Today is a day to stop and remember those who were injured or killed in the service of their country. We remember all of them for the service given to all of us. Yesterday the country stopped to show respect for those were killed or wounded at Fort Hood in Texas. We do not expect things like this to occur on a military post anyplace in the world. We think of them as secure areas where the members of our military service can prepare for dangerous duty or to recover after coming home. I have visited a couple of bases in recent years and they are not the same as they were in past years. Today you are expected to have a reason for coming on the base. You are looked at suspiciously when you enter and must prove who you are. I can remember when the front gate was just a ceremonial entrance with guards just looked at the people as they entered. Today is a time when all of us are saddened that a member of our military was so distraught with his life and place that he acted in such a horrendous fashion. This is a man who should have known by his own training that he needed help. If he truly did find the actions of our country contrary to his religious beliefs or to the ideology that he held above his oath to his country then many better ways did exist for him to let the world know how he felt. It may be good that this person is alive to tell us why he acted. Many believe that his death would have been an easier way to end the agony. The fact is that his death would have only caused more questions that would not have ever been answered. I do hope that now we will get the answers that the families of those involved are entitled to know. I do hope that the results of this event will be more security for the military members and their dependents that are living on the military bases all over the world.

Veterans Day is the day to let the families of all those who have served our country not just in war but have given their time to serve in all the ways that the country requests. We now have a volunteer military and we know that those in uniform are not forced to serve. If you see a member of the military during your daily routine please join me in thanking them for the sacrifice that they make daily to serve us. Knowing the pressures that are placed on the members of the armed service and in many ways even more so on the family members who do really serve along side of the service members and who do have more of a struggle to survive. The service members do depend on each other and us so that they can do their best to serve us.


I SAY THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SERVE NOW AND TO THOSE WHO SERVED IN THE PAST.