When I was 18 and graduating high school, I received a phone call
from a recruiter. I do not remember the specifics of the conversation,
but he essentially wanted me to sign up for one of the branches of our
armed services. I involuntarily laughed out loud. Hard. He never lost
his composure. I apologized and explained that, if he only knew me, he
would know that I am hardly military material. He responded that
everyone can be military material, but some don’t know their potential
yet. I thanked him for his call and that was that.
About seven years later my brother took me aside and confided that
he had joined the Marines. Although our dad backed him, my brother knew
his decision would upset our mother initially and had not told her yet.
What he needed from me was support. His announcement took me by
surprise, but I was proud of him even so. He was not only leaving home
and going out on his own, he was joining the military at a time when it
was guaranteed we would be going back to war. If he had the courage to
leave his comfort zone and protect his country, he had my support.
When he left for boot camp, we were all unsure of what would happen.
It’s possible that I thought it would be like an actual camp. I won’t
go into the details of boot camp (that’s my brother’s story, not mine),
but when I went to graduation and saw my brother for the first time, I
wept.
My little brother who had always been a bit chubby was slim and
muscular. While the rest of us sat on benches or the ground and
listened to his stories, he stood. He stood straight and walked with
purpose. He spoke confidently and easily–at least they hadn’t changed
his personality. However, my view of him had changed. The little
brother I wanted to help take care of was a man now and didn’t need my
sisterly nagging.
The Marines are the best thing that happened to my brother, in my
own
opinion. He was always confident, but sometimes he did not make the
best decisions. The Marines helped him buckle down. Since boot camp I
have watched my brother meet and marry a wonderful woman and grow a
fine family of two boys. I’ve watched as he has had to leave that
family so he could fulfill his duty as a Marine in Haiti, Bahrain,
Africa, and other places. Along the way, I’ve watched as he grieved for
the loss of friends.
I’ve watched his face gleam with pride as we drove through a group
of people in support of our armed forces and the war they fight. It was
so nice to see people embracing the armed services instead of vilifying
them. His appreciation was clear. I’ve watched him stop traffic on a
busy street so he could retrieve a US flag that had fallen off a car
and was being driven over.
My brother’s story is not unique. The Marines and every other branch
of our military take boys and make them men. For some of these boys
it’s the only choice or a way to find themselves. For others it’s
simply a love of our country and the need to protect it. Regardless of
the reason they join, our men in uniform deserve our appreciation.
If you ever have the pleasure and honor of meeting a Marine I hope
you will have the courage to thank them for their service. After all,
they have the courage to protect you.
This post was originally published November 10, 2006.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
My father-in-law was in the Army Rangers and says that it was the making of him. I wish I could get my two cousins to join the armed forces, they would be all the better for it.
Tell your brother thank you for his service. And happy Veteran’s Day!
Thanks for this — I really enjoyed it.
And thanks to your brother and all who serve.
what a great post, made me tear up a bit. My brother’s in the Navy, he just got back from Iraq a few months ago (we’re so blessed and happy he made it back)
THanks for your post! you’re right, it’s important to thank those who are making sacrifices, and putting their lives in danger.
Semper Fi! That’s a great story. I’m married to the Army myself and Sarge and I had the pleasure of seeing our oldest son go through the same experience in Navy Boot Camp. It was the best thing Squid ever did too.
What a beautiful tribute…both to your brother and to those who serve.It made me smile. Thank you from an Air Force Family.
Thank you. I needed to read this today.
What an excellent post! Semper Fi!
Thank you for this post. Our son retired from the Marines two years ago. I have always been so proud that he served his country. And, I will probably tear up every time I hear the Marine hymn played for the rest of my life!
I am so thankful for ALL the people serving our country in the military. Freedom isn’t free. God bless our “freedom fighters.”
Oddly enough the armed forces has that effect on many young people who need a bit more discipline and structure. It offers a way for them to be confident when initially they many not have been. My brother in law joined the army. In some ways it’s helped but in others it hasn’t. Thanks for you post, it’s good to hear about the good things in the armed forces right now.