Autumn Asks: Are You Honoring Those That Served/Serve Our Country Today?

I'm quite sure most are at least having a cookout or little vacation or some such celebration. I can only hope everyone takes at least a moment to stop and think of those that have protected our country over the years.

Today I think about my father, who I lost at Christmas. He was a retired Army man. He served in Vietnam as a young man and then stayed in many more years until retiring after 20 years of service. He loved his job and believed in his country. He lived by a strict moral code.

For the funera.l my sister, mother and I went through their pictures and put together a picture CD to run at the funeral home. We found so many gems! My sister then made copies of the CD for all of us to have.

Today I am sharing some of dad's service related shots. Fair warning: He's got a wicked different sense of style....

Dad started out as an MP (Military Police). Perfect place for him. He was also a Game Warden in Georgia (where I was born) and maybe one other place also.
Dad was sent to France for a year when my parents were in the first years of marriage. It was an unaccompanied tour but that wasn't acceptable. Mom went to work and made enough money for a plane ticket and then flew to France to live with dad until it was time for him to come back to the states. Aren't they all stylish, partying in France?
No ideal...... but these shots crack me up. Reminds me of those photo booths in the malls.
After 5 years of marriage, along comes myself. Love our mansion. The custom steps are really something. Yes, the military pays BIG.
Look at that smile! So posed! He didn't smile like that!
Doing very important military work. Bowling. Almost as important as his playing on the basketball team or softball team. After seeing this picture I realized just how much my dad's ear DON'T stick out. Crew cuts are not kind to all.
The Criminal Investigation Division decides to start a pilot program letting enlisted people in. Dad was selected for the first test group and sent to school with some others. Up until that point the job required that you be an officer. If I remember correctly, when all was said and done, dad was the only enlisted one that made it through all the schools and worked the job until he retired.
Do you know I can't remember seeing my father in uniform? In CID they wore coats and ties...and that is what I remember.
When I was about 5 my dad was sent to Thailand for a year.....without family. This time mom stayed at home with my sister and I. The guys he worked with on the Fort we stayed on watched out for us. That's what our servicemen do. They watch out for each other.
When he returned he had a mustache. My sister wanted nothing to do with him. Oh, and see the shirt? I'm telling you, he had some serious shirts and coats.

I wish I had some cool stories to tell you. But, like so many of the military, what he did was not really talked about. There was a need to keep his activities quiet. I can tell you that we were moved after a bust high-up in the ranks. I didn't know that as a kid....he told me things later on as an adult. For the civilians that don't know.....they DO police their own and put them away.

I miss my father. I miss my grandfather, who also served over 20 years. I'm thankful that today my husband is home enjoying his family.

I thank all of those that are separated from their loved ones. We are thinking of you today. My God bless you and watch over you!