I want to pop in and say thanks to three people in my life: My uncle Andy Bouma, boss Barry Prevett and friend Joel Roberts.
All three have served or are serving in the military, and it is befitting on this day to to thank them for their sacrifice and commitment to this country.
My uncle Andy has never served in armed combat, but is a Colonel (now) with the Army reserves and had the incredibly important job of supplying and outfitting our military while in two wars. He has sacrificed his life for the Army since graduating from college and went reserves about 8 years ago. He helped supply our troops in the First Gulf War, and was called up for active duty to Fort Hood, TX during Gulf War II and only recently returned to his job at Raytheon. Thanks Uncle Andy and family for your past dedication, sacrifice, and commitment to defending our country! I do not think I showed appreciation to you for your efforts, so thanks!
Barry was a Marine (and if you ask him now he still is one, for life!) and came to faith in Jesus Christ after signing-up and enduring Marine Boot Camp at Camp Lagune in Cherry Point, NC. Throughout the war, Barry was stationed in Choi Lai, Vietnam where he worked as a mechanic. While reading a Washington Post article over the weekend on the “Rolling Thunder” (a band of motorcyle veterans), I was reminded about the utter failure of the American community to embrace and thank the returning soldiers from this conflict, no matter what they personally thought about the war itself. So, thanks Barry for your sacrifice and dedication to America and her ideals! Similarly to my Uncle, I think this is the first time I have thanked you, and it is long over due.
Finally, my college friend Joel Roberst has spent several months in a few seperate tours in the Iraq region where he’s been stationed with the Air Force with the Air Battle Management Unit. He flew around in an AWAC/JSTAR monitoring and directing the fighting from the air down on the ground. It is kind of like playing Red Alert or Age of Empires…you get to move the little pieces around on the ground and command from a bird’s-eye view. Pretty cool stuff, but obviously way more real and deadly! Thank you Joel for sacrificing your own life for a while in order to defend America and promote freedom around the world to those who need it. Thanks for your commitment and dedication to the US, and thanks for your friendship!
Folks, if you know someone who is serving or has served our country through the military, thank them! Certainly showing our appreciation for the efforts and sacrifice of our county’s defenders is the least we can do for the huge amount they did.
-jeremy
