As many of you know, my family takes a lot of pride in the fact we sell American made products. The pride we take in our country does not end there. Through many generations the men in my family have served this country and most recently, my brother Mike. Mike graduated from Glastonbury High School in 2003, and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. To me, my older brother has always been my hero. I mean it's my older brother! After he left for bootcamp the term hero that I placed on him took on a whole new meaning that I never saw coming. Mike went to bootcamp in South Carolina..then had training in various different parts of the country before being based in North Carolina and shortly after that he left for Iraq in 2005. At this time in my life I didn't know how to handle what was really going on..I was trying to be as supportive as possible for my brother but really (as usual) he was the strong one and I was a complete mess. It was the only time in my life when I just really didn't know what to say to him without crying. I honestly still get emotional to this day thinking about that awful time. I would barely sleep thinking maybe tonight he'll call..and the few rare times I got to hear his voice in the middle of the night with all the mayhem going on in the background of his end of the phone-actually made it worse I think! Looking back I think to myself he's the one that's across the world in a very hostile situation and he's consoling me!? Doesn't even make sense but he was always protecting me and my feelings even if it should have been the reverse role. Just knowing that my brother could have easily gone to college after high school, played soccer, or just simply gone straight into the work force makes my respect level for him go even higher than imagined. He was 18 years old and he made his choice to go and defend our country. If that's not a hero I don't know what is. Onto the fun part, those Marine's are complete animals (in a good way) and some of the most fun people I've ever met in my life. Mike's bond with those guys is unbreakable. Because of his bond with them they took me into their life as well no questions asked just because I was Mike's sister and they truly have become part of our family. I respect all the men and women across this country who have served and are currently serving but when you have a personal connection to Veteran's I think Veteran's Day isn't just one day in your life...it's everyday. These men and women protect us so we can do our day to day activities whatever they may be. I'm telling you right now these people damn well deserve more than one day of honor. So do me a favor, when you get an opportunity please thank someone for their service, it doesn't matter which day of the year it is.
