Veterans Day

This Veterans Day I am taking some time to go back and reflect on my father William (Bill) May and my son Wade Williams, Jr., both of whom voluntarily served the United States at a time of war.  My father served with the Army during the Korean Conflict (later changed to a war by congress) and earned a Purple Heart for his injuries while serving.  My son Wade continues to serve our country in the Air Force and spent a six month deployment to Iraq in 2010.  

Wade in Iraq, 2010

I was taking some time and going back through my journal for that time.  Here is the entry I posted a few days after we heard he was going to Iraq.

"Monday afternoon, I got the news I didn't want to hear. My son 21 year-old, who's in the Air Force, is deploying to Iraq. We knew he had a deployment coming up but I never thought he would end up there. I had been praying that he didn't end up in Afganistan. My first thought when he told me was "oh no, I screwed up, I should have been praying for "no war zones". This is my fault". Over the next few days, I felt like I had a rock on my head and it was driving me into the pavement. 

On Tuesday, my son called to say he needed to have "the talk" with me and his father. As you read this you are probably thinking the sex talk. That would have been easy compared to this talk.  This is the talk a military son has with his parents in case he doesn't make it back. A parent should never have to have that "talk". It transported me back through two hundred years of American military men (and women) and their parents having the same talk. There is lots of paperwork and things to do when a soldier makes his first deployment...a passport, a will, power of attorney, what to do with the body (God Forbid!), letters to get out of his lease, what to do with his stuff, etc. Wade told me that he was going to put Dad on everything because he knew that I would be too hysterical if something happened. He's so right! My son and I are buddies. He has always been the one that I went to the movies with, I used to lay on his bed after school while he was doing homework and talk, he calls me all the time. This past Christmas, I taught him how to cook because the AF was kicking him out of the dorms and into his first apartment. He was afraid he would "starve". My baby was going to war and I was feeling out of control!

By Thursday, my husband and I had had many long conversations and I was feeling better. Wade was excited to be going into the war zone. I had to respect his choices and support him for the Hero that he is. You see, I work in Washington, DC four months a year, teaching tourists and students about those men and women in our country's history that have given the last full measure so that we, Americans, can live in safety and freedom. 

I once met a "gold star" mom at Arlington and we talked for a while. She lost her 25 year old son in Iraq and was just learning to live again. This whole situation with my son made me realize that we are sisters, her and I, we Moms give up our sons to fight for the freedom of others."

As Americans, our families come from all over the world.  Our founding fathers created this country and our freedom from absolutely nothing.  They had to fight to achieve our Republic and we have continually had to fight to keep it.  In addition, our military fights for the freedom of others.  I will always have as special place in my heart for the families that support these individuals that VOLUNTEER to keep us free and safe.  I understand the worry and the have seen the pain of those who have lost their child (loved one) to the war on terror.  I thank all of those people who stand in support of our sons and daughters who keep us safe.  To God alone be the glory!