People who serve in the armed forces deserve respect and thanks.  I want to say thank you for your sacrifices for our country.

But I also want to thank a big group that is usually forgotten in the pomp and circumstance surrounding Veterans Day.

Thank you to the family members left behind. It is a horrible thing to watch your loved one go off to serve. Even if there isn’t a war, being a military family means knowing at any moment, your loved one can get called away.

I was a Marine wife during Desert Storm. My husband (ex now) didn’t have to go- but for a month we were told every day, tomorrow you are probably shipping out, be prepared. There were many tearful nights and mornings watching him go to work wondering if today was the day. It’s a hard life.

Thank you for your sacrifices military families for giving up anniversaries, birthdays and holidays while worrying about the one you love being in harms way. You are the unsung heroes that enable our military to go and do the job which keeps us safe.