Gratitude for our Military
I come from a military family, and I know the sacrifices made by not only our service members themselves, but their families as well. In this season of gratitude, I am humbled by the selflessness of our warriors and the people who love them.
Every day our men and women in uniform work to protect us and safeguard our democracy and our Constitution. At a moment’s notice they may be required to leave their loved ones on a dangerous mission halfway around the world. Their families, giving those uncertain farewells again and again, are real heroes too.
One in 20 living Americans has served, and there are over 16 million veterans across the country. There are 400,000 veterans living in South Carolina alone. When you count their family members, the network of Americans with a personal connection to the armed forces rises into the tens of millions.
As the son of a Vietnam veteran, I also know that the return home, and the transition back to civilian life, can be almost as challenging as those anxious separations in service to our country.
Many return home with invisible wounds, perhaps all the more painful for being “hidden” from others. The psychological burdens carried by veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan present us all, as Americans, with our own ongoing duty of care and compassion.
Kind words aren’t enough. Gratitude for our veterans confers real obligations on the rest of us to make sure they receive the financial, medical, and educational resources to make a successful transition back to civilian life. This will remain one of my core commitments, whether in public service or private, for the rest of my life.
