Tags
B52, Censorship, Military Service, Minot AFB, North Dakota, Peace, Strategic Air Command, Veterans Day
“Not many people understood why we turned introspective and blissful at the mere mention of camp. Either they believed the lampooned versions in movies or thought of it as a one-week excursion into cheerleading, band, scouting, or sports. Perhaps those bands of brothers who had experienced combat together could understand it best, though the military men in my life resented the comparison. I had suggested it once at an Officer’s Club in Minot, North Dakota, being a newly married transplant aching for my summer friends. I had been informed ours was a country club existence made possible by the service of those brave soldiers. How could I argue this? Ever since, I had taken my memories underground.” Memory Lake, p.356
Yes, camp is not the same as military service. I wholeheartedly admit this. I am overflowing with gratitude to be living at this time in history, in this country, where I have become all my heart desires. I thank the soldiers who have devoted their lives to protecting my freedom, so I can have these wondeful memories.
Thank you to my husband, John, now retired, for his 22 years of service to the taxpayers. He always tried to put them first.
He thinks it’s no big deal, and will probably never see this blog post. But, he was a Cold War Warrior, featured in this TIME magazine article. I’m proud of him, though he says he was, “Just doing his job.” http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,922438,00.html
*(Google censored this photo of the SAC emblem, a B52 model, and military medals, taken from my phone. Gmail would not allow me to download, or copy it, because of its ‘sensitive’ content. I had to use a different email account. This is not freedom.)