As Veteran's Day approaches tomorrow, my family is especially touched by the tributes to those that have and are protecting our country. Thank you to everyone that sent there concerns and inquiries during last week's horrific events!
My son-in-law Nate is stationed in Texas. I was out with clients showing houses totally unaware of the developing tragedy at Fort Hood when I received the first call from my step mom. She asked in a panic, "Where's Nate? Is he OK?" Since he was on leave visiting us here in Northern Nevada, I laughed and said, "he was sitting on my coach watching TV when I left this morning, why?" She proceeded to give me sketchy details about a mass shooting in Texas, at the time she was not sure where, only that it had been on an Army base.
Nate and my daughter Kelly had been at a movie with their phones off so they were shocked when returning home they turned on their cells to find over 20 messages each. As we all tuned in to hear what was happening, we soon discovered with relief that the shootings did not occur at Nate's home base of Fort Bliss.
That relief was quickly replaced by a terrible sadness and empathy for those families affected. The entire Army family has been deeply wounded, and Nate's squad felt a disconcerting uneasiness, since they had just been through the processing center last week in preparation for their coming deployment.
Yesterday, Nate left Reno to head back to Texas. His unit leaves for somewhere in Iraq next week. I helplessly watched my daughter say goodbye to her husband whom she is unlikely to see for a year or so. I can only pray for his and every other military personnel's safety, abroad and here at home!
The debt we owe to all that serve should not be remembered only one or two days a year, but tomorrow, try and take a moment and really think about the sacrifices made by the brave men and women of all branches of the military. And give thanks!
