I'm Going to be a Marine Mom

Not yet ready to add the !!!! to that statement. Maybe when he graduates from basic training in December? I have a son who signed up last spring. Since then he is walking tall and proud, setting up his exercise program to be ready for basic in October, and feeling very good about his decision. One of his older brothers has joined the Air Force and goes to Basic in April. Out of 8 boys, that's two going into the military. I couldn't be more proud of their decision and their commitment.

We watched a DVD yesterday designed to inform parents and help put our minds at ease (if that's even possible at this point!) One of the moms on the DVD said when her son came home and went out somewhere in his dress blues, people came up to him and thanked him for his service to our country.

This took me and my husband back to the days after the Vietnam War, when our fighting boys who came home got garbage thrown at them and were spit on by passersby. They never wanted to wear the uniform because of the way the public treated them. This took recovery a lot longer for the battle-weary. Many of our Vietnam vets became psychologically unstable and homeless. So very sad.

War will always be with us, sorry to say but it's a fact of life. Like death, taxes, illness, divorce, poverty, hunger and natural disasters. My son is proud that he has taken the oath to be a Marine. The day he graduates from Basic will be a wonderful moment for all of us. I personally am so thankful that the citizens of this great nation now show respect and gratitude to their fighting men and women, rather than taking out their hatred of war on those who fight for freedom.

 Who doesn't hate war? I pray my son will not have to fight, but he'll be preparing for it, just in case.