Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Day 11: Thinking of our veterans


My dad, John Dale Arvin, US Army 

 It’s good to see social media lit up with appreciative messages for our veterans. 

We appreciate them, but it’s hard to truly get the sacrifices some of them have made. Only fellow veterans and their families truly understand the depths of that. 

My dad served two years in the Army, stationed in Texas and in Germany. 

Somehow, I grew up believing that he wasn’t exactly a veteran, because he served during peace time.  

My dad is the furthest thing from a braggart that I can think of.  Maybe he told us that. 

But I know better now. 

He gave two years of his life to serving his country.  

He endured a terrible storm while on a ship to Germany. 

He left behind a girlfriend (our mom). He left behind family, friends, the farm and everything familiar to him. 

Of course he is a veteran! 

Two of my dad's brothers were veterans also.   At least one was a paratrooper, a fact that I found amusing as a kid. My memories of him were after he was older, and, um, rounder. 

I marvel sometimes at how young many of our World War veterans were when they served. 

It seems wrong that young men often have to fight the battles that old men start. But there have always been those who were willing to lay down their lives for the good of their country. 

Thank you for your service, veterans, whether you were shot at or not. 



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