Veterans and Families

I have never been a veteran.  I have no idea what a veteran and his or her family have to cope with on a daily basis.  I do know that I appreciate everything they do to keep us safe and able to go on with our daily lives.  I also thank veteran's family members who have to deal with moving constantly, worry about the health and safety of the veteran family member or members.

I was talking to the wife of a veteran.  She has a business working out of her home because it was a portable job that she could do wherever her husband was stationed.  She made the best of her situation because it was difficult to find a job whenever the family was reassigned to a different part of the country or out of the country.  She was almost apologizing because she didn't have a more established profession.  I could only applaud her ingenuity as she coped with the many moves her family had endured to remain with her husband.

Another veteran talked about missing his older child when his ex-wife went to court while he was out of the country to change custody.  He was forced to pay child support but could not see his son because she told the judge this veteran had post-traumatic stress disorder and she was afraid of his inability to parent his son.  He did not have that diagnosis.  Regardless, he lost all rights to see his son while he was defending his country.

I have met veterans who have the burden of post-traumatic stress disorder and have many years of treatment to try to cope with the horrors of war. The family members also have to cope with the effects of this mind altering trauma. Other veterans are in therapy for physical injury, loss of limbs or vision, loss of coordination or brain trauma.

Veterans are survivors.  Their family members are survivors.  They are all heroes. Thank you for everything you have done for us! You are loved!