Never Forget

To me, Memorial Day is not only a day that I honor those that gave their life to serve this great country but also a day to honor my husband.

My husband is an active duty Marine. He joined in 2002 but had wanted to be a Marine since he was 10 years old. He joined into the DEP program when he was 17 and graduated high school early to leave for boot camp. He and I married 6 days after his boot camp graduation while he was on his 10 day leave before heading to his MOS school where he would become a part of the Marine Corps Field Artillary or an 0811. His job is a combat MOS which involves shooting howitzers. Generally when field artillary are deployed to combat situations they are deployed as grunts also known as infantry or as we in the marine corps lovingly call them, the human shield.
Luckily, when my husband was deployed to Iraq in 2004 he went as field artillary and not as a grunt which is very uncommon.
My husband recieved a purple heart in Iraq when his convoy was hit by a road side bomb. Luckily no one was killed but my husband took shrapnel to his face and by the grace of God only had to have a few stitches. Never in any other time of my life have I been so scared for my husband and I thank God every day for bringing him home safely.
Thankfully my husband's entire battery returned all in one piece save for my husband's injury.
They were VERY lucky. We as the wives, mother's, father's and children of that battery were very lucky. Not everyone is so fortunate.
Which is why I am thankful for Memorial day. It's a time to reflect on the losses we have sustained as a country from each and every war. A time to reflect on those that gave up their lives to ensure our freedom. A time to thank those brave veterans who have been injured and disabled while protecting this great country. And a time to thank those that continue to put their lives on the line for us on a daily basis.

So while you enjoy your long weekend full of BBQ's, family trips and outtings please take a moment and remember what this holiday is really about.
The selfless act of those who have given up their lives so that we can live in peace and enjoy those BBQ's that we will all be attending.




Please take a moment and view this video that my husband created showing what his job is to be an 0811, field artillary crewman.