I thank myself every day! ;-)
But seriously, it's nice to see a thread like this now and again. Even as National Guard soldiers and having NOT been deployed yet, my wife (Combatmedicjen) and I both feel the pressures of the military now and again. We both have friends overseas and more are going every week. Many people think less of the National Guard and Reserve forces, but to set some things straight:
* Deployment for a guardsman/reservist is often more difficult than it is for a regular soldier/marine/et al. The military doesn't pay very much (unless you are a senior NCO or officer), and therefore most guardsmen take pay cuts to leave their families behind with less money while they are gone fighting.
* The Army National Guard makes up roughly 50% of the US Army fighting forces. Nearly all NG units are combat-ready, and not only have to leave their families to fight overseas, but also get called up for homeland emergencies such as flood, fire and disaster relief as well as guard duty at airports and such during times of national crisis.
* While we only train one weekend a month and two weeks each summer, we are just as dedicated, just as willing and just as proud as any full-time member of our proud military forces.
Now that I have that out of the way, thanks again for starting this thread. For all my brothers and sisters fighting the good fight, my love and thoughts go out to you, not just on the fourth day of July, but every day of the year. Hooah!
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