By Craig Gilman
Faculty Member at American Military University
For all the right reasons, you decided to serve your country and volunteered for the armed forces. When you signed, despite your modesty, on those public holidays such as Independence Day and Veterans Day you enjoy flags flying, bands playing, picnics and parades and perhaps even a friendly “thanks for your service.” Sharing these moments with family and friends is rewarding. You are perfectly justified in a moment of pride for your service. You deserve all this and more. Life is good.
But serving isn’t all parades and picnics. If the anxiety and hassles of deployment or even temporary duty separation from loved ones is difficult, how will you feel during the holidays? How will they feel? Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, how did it feel being miles from that feast with family or missing that traditional backyard game of football with neighborhood friends? How can you possibly honor Hanukkah sitting in a ready room where the closest thing to a dreidel is a half-empty TicTac box (orange)? How excited are you to know you will be on the duty desk Christmas Day while half a world away your spouse and children are opening the presents you hope got there on time? Let’s face it; it is a bit depressing sometimes. Be prepared for this.