Thanksgiving: Only a Week Late

My sister has been anxiously awaiting word of when her husband would be home on leave from Afghanistan. She has been planning for their reunion since the day he stepped on the plane back in June. When she finally found out the official dates of his visit home, she was so excited to begin planning their time together. He only has two weeks at home and she wants to make them memorable.

They decided together that they would spend a week here with family and friends and then take a much needed vacation to spend time alone. Hawaii was chosen as the destination and my sister got busy looking for a place for them to stay. She logged on to a website where people can list their rental properties in hopes of finding a nice, secluded, unique place to get away from it all.

My family is not a military family. My Grandpa served in World War II, but rarely ever speaks of it. When Danny joined our family and we found out that he would be deployed to Afghanistan, we were thrown headfirst into the military family world. The experience has changed all of us and changed forever our view of how those serving our country and their families are treated.

My sister has contacted many of the properties by email to inquire about availability during the week they will be in Hawaii. She mentioned in the email that her husband is currently serving his country in Afghanistan only in passing to see if people will offer a military discount. Most of the responses have been heartfelt wishes of safety and thanks for the sacrifices they are making.

However, there was one response that I wish I could say we have not seen before. In response to my sister's inquiry on a property, the owner responded with the availability of the property, but also decided that he could grace her with his personal opinions on the war. He said that, although he appreciated the sacrifice Danny was making, he did not agree with the war in Afghanistan or the direction this country was going in.

I wish this was the first time that my sister has had to deal with these sorts of comments, but it is not. Since Danny left for Afghanistan, Joanna has had to constantly listen to people's comments on the war. I don't know why people presume that just because you serve the country, you have to agree with every conflict we are involved in. Or that military families have any say at all in where or when their loved ones will be deployed. People seem to think that because you are associated with the military, you are fair game to hear all of their complaints about the war.

There is a big difference between supporting our troops and supporting our nation's foreign policy. They are not connected and should not be connected. You can disagree with the war, but that does not mean that you should stop supporting the troops. Our military families make sacrifices every day to ensure the safety and security of this country. They should be respected and thanked for their service and not berated by ignorant opinions.



I am constantly amazed by my sister and her husband's strength. We have all learned so much from both of them and I am so thankful to have them in my life.

So this holiday season, if you happen to have the privilege of spending time with a military family, please thank them. Tell them how much you appreciate the sacrifices they make to keep you safe. Ask them if there is anything you can do to make their world a little brighter.

But keep your opinions to yourself. Please.