Pohodo

I’m not sure the average American really understands just how much the men and women of the armed forces give up for their country. I think people tend to generalize things too much – they know service members “sacrifice” and stuff – but they don’t really think about the specifics of it to truly understand it at an appropriate level.

I spent nearly five years in the Air Force when I was younger. I was a young unattached single man who just wanted to explore the world and have as much fun along the way as possible.

I spent a year in South Korea and, for the most part, really enjoyed my time there. I utilized their incredible transit system to get out and see as much as I could. I went out and partied like a wild man all the time. And I also worked incredibly hard during very long days. There were only a few moments during my year that I was reminded of the real severity of the situation. There was the occasional anti-American rally that presented some very tense moments. Of course, visiting Panmunjom was very sobering. Then there was the 7:00 AM Saturday full-war recall with sirens and all that had everybody SCRAMBLING to get to their station, which turned out to just be a surprise drill (they ALWAYS planned drills far in advance with lots of warning). The scariest moment being during a war-games exercise, after a couple of days sitting in the snow guarding the perimeter, the radios lit up with all kinds of chatter and then they started handing out LIVE ammo to everybody. It turned out to be a very poorly communicated simulated “attack” by paratroopers – a bunch of people landed in the golf course and were assumed to be N. Koreans. Fortunately, they were A) American soldiers, and B) nobody was killed.

I also spent 4 months in Saudi Arabia, shortly after Khobar Towers was blown up. I had the sole responsibility of ensuring all of the paperwork was in order for anything being delivered to the base in downtown Riyadh – including lots of trucks similar to what blew up Khobar – all outside the gates before the bomb detection people/dogs were involved. You never knew who was friend or foe there. I spent a lot of time ensuring my head was always moving because I had a terrifying sense that I was in somebody’s crosshairs while standing outside the base “talking” to the truckers and inspecting their loads (lots of tall buildings with roof access all around). And all of this in a “friendly” country like Saudi Arabia.

Now when I reflect back on my time in the military, it all pales in comparison to what troops are enduring today. North Korea is threatening all-out war over the sinking of the South Korea military ship. Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan can’t trust a single person outside of the people they deployed with. And they’re all doing year-long tours at a minimum, with often very little home time between deployments.

During my military time, I lacked perspective. Again, being young and single, I saw the world through a whole different set of eyes than a lot of the people I served with. I knew there were a lot of people who were very depressed on their remote tours, but it never really occurred to me the value of their pain until I became a father.

I worked with people who arrived in Korea during the final months of their wives pregnancy. Missing out on the entire first year of their children’s lives. Not there to provide support for their spouse. Just absent. Off in a distant land counting down days until they could be reunited with their family.

I see how much my daughter grows in just a week. I can’t imagine missing out on an entire year. Think about missing a year of a child who just turned two. Their first year of real memory building doesn’t include a parent because they’re not there. They’re overseas somewhere putting it all on the line. Also imagine that person who is missing out on their children growing up is wondering if today is the day his number comes up.

So I for one am unbelievably grateful for what the men and women of the armed forces provide for us every day.