Veteran’s Day – in April?

Veteran’s Day in April? What on earth am I talking about?

Last fall, when I wrote my blog – Who Needs Veteran’s Day Anyway?, my brother-in-law was about to be deployed a few weeks later.

The call to deployment is met with mixed feelings in military families everywhere. On the one hand, they are leaving their country, their families and their day-to-day life behind. On the other, they are getting to do what they’re trained to do. What in many cases they love to do (my brother-in-law flies jets – in how many other jobs do you get to do that?)

To make a long story really short – – he was deployed, and now he’s back after six months!

The families get by of course when their spouses are away. And the parents left behind deal with being single parents. The support of friends and family, and the support structures that the military provides help of course, but there is no substitute for having them home.

So seeing the newsreel of him and his fellow pilots coming home, you can’t help but tear up at the reunions of the families, and the excitement of the little kids that get to see their parents again.

My niece, who is not quite three, just kept repeating, “My daddy, my daddy.”

It serves as another poignant reminder of the importance of the role that our fighting forces play supporting our country, our everyday lives and lifestyles – even though many of us don’t see it every day.

I urge everyone, regardless of your political affiliation, regardless of your feelings about various military actions that the United States is involved in right now, to support the members of the military and their families.

Click on this link for the Joining Forces initiative to see more.

Welcome Home, Paul.

Kirsten Jordan is a Partner at PeopleResults. She can be reached on Twitter @Kirstenkbdb. Sign up to receive her and her colleagues’ blog at Current.