Today’s military looks very different than it did just a few years ago. Technology has evolved so rapidly that the look and feel of our nation’s service men and women have had to change along with it. With the addition of U.S. Army Cyber Command to Fort Gordon, more active military personnel will call our state home. This great honor for our state means that Georgia will be where more and more active, reserve and eventually retired military personnel live, work and raise their families.
However, there are hundreds of thousands of active duty soldiers stationed overseas on various bases, installations, operations or embassies. These brave men and women are a long way from home. Many are a long way from their families, with no guarantee that they will be able to contact them for a while.
The forms of military service are changing as quickly as the needs of operation, and so our well-trained defenders of liberty are changing with them. Not everyone in uniform has served overseas. Protecting our country from all enemies requires heroes at home, as well. Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines perform valiant services on a daily basis, protecting shorelines, embassies and bases and are constantly training for a variety of scenarios, should an order send them towards a conflict.
Recent federal reductions in active personnel have only increased the number of veterans returning to civilian life. The structure of life on a base, or even life overseas in an active operation, is very different than civilian life. Our stresses are not their stresses. Things our life experiences have taught us to do are often very different than what their training dictates.
For the health of so many families, as well as our country, we must seek to express our deepest thanks and love to our active military personnel and returning veterans. Through their valor, our country remains a powerful, well-protected, self-governing society that is full of opportunities. Because of their sacrifice, many who do return, bear scars—both physical and psychological—that will take time, patience and love in order to heal as best they can.
As Veteran’s Day passes on Wednesday, November 11, I hope you will take a moment to thank a veteran in your family or extended family. Also, there are numerous outreach projects for veterans—especially wounded veterans—that do immense amounts of good for our returning heroes. If you know of a single parent home with an active duty solider, keep them in your thoughts and prayers, as well. As part of their sacrifice, they are missing birthdays, football games and school achievements. A great way to express appreciation to those who serve is to love on their families who spend months at a time separated from a spouse, parent or sibling.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to send the biggest thanks to our active, reserve and retired military personnel for all of their service to our state and country. Happy Veteran’s Day!
to your business!