Thank You

In March, I started a new job. I work with National Guard and Reserve soldiers that were injured or became sick while on active duty. Now, some do get injured while at basic training, but there are the ones that get injured while deployed overseas. I don't know about you, but I really had no idea what these people sacrifice for our country. I know we always say thank you, but do you really know what you are thanking them for? I knew that some go over and are killed in the line of duty, but I never really thought about the survivors....until now. If you haven't thought about it either, please take the time to understand that their lives are changed forever too. They see their friends and colleagues killed in front of them and feel powerless to help. They have to clean up bomb sites (I won't explain what that entails, but you can imagine). They have to be on guard for their lives and the lives of the others in their unit constantly, so when they do make it back home, they can't just jump right back into life as usual. They still "watch" and are wary of everyone and everything. They have horrible nightmares and feelings of "survivors guilt". We continue to honor those who have lost their lives defending our freedom, but we don't really recognize those who have also "lost" their lives as they once knew it. I don't mean to get on a soap box, but the men and women who did not lose their lives in the war have lost a lot and I would like everyone to think about that and just thank them if you happen to see a soldier out and about. I have a whole different respect for them now. I respected them before, but I am in awe of the sacrifice that they are making for me and my family.