Tuesday, November 11

I'm Proud of My Dad: The Veteran

My dad is a veteran. A Vietnam vet, to be exact.

He does not like to mention it, though. Not because of the battles he fought, but because he never did. He was enlisted in the Navy when the Vietnam War was still going on. He went through all the training necessary before finally getting on that ship and heading to Vietnam. Yet, while on the ship, heading to Vietnam, the war ended.

While he is still acknowledged for being a Vietnam Vet because he was enlisted during the war, he never fought during it, and therefore is ashamed to acknowledge it.

As a part of the Navy, he traveled all over, though, and saw a lot of the world...from the end of a pier.

As a part of the Navy, he learned, and still remembers random phrases from a few different languages, although I do not know how many of them he ever got to use while "abroad".

As a part of the Navy, too, somehow -- perhaps he had some shore-time -- he picked up some coins from several different countries, that many years later, ended up in my sisters' & my coin collections.

Which brings me to the reason I am proud of my Dad.

I know it might be crazy, but I am glad Dad did not fight in any battles.

You see, he was and always has been an electronic geek. Get him behind a computer, or something with wires, and he is a "king". But get him behind a gun...

In the Navy, the crew would practice targets by tossing an old milk jug into the water and shoot at it. Even Dad had to practice. But, they teased Dad, because he was the only one who would do much worse then miss the target. Dad would miss the water. And they were in the middle of the ocean!

You see, I am proud of Dad because he was willing to fight. Fight for my freedom, fight for my rights. Fight for all of us, for the United States. And all those good and noble reasons any man or woman agrees to stand up and fight for us.

Even though Dad never saw a battle. I am still proud he was willing to take a stand. To try.

And I am so very thankful to God that Dad never did, because otherwise I would not exist. Nor my sisters.

If Dad had not been in the Navy, he would not have gone to Elim Bible Institute later in life, and he might have missed meeting Mom while she was a student there. And, again, I would not exist.

It is weird. It is as though my Dad was willing to fight for me, even though I was not even a thought, yet. Yet, he fought for me!

And that is why I am proud of my Dad! Proud to call him a veteran! To share it far and wide...even if he does not like to.

Thank you to all the men and women, past and present, who have fought and are fighting for us. For me.

And especially...

Thank you,
Dad!