There is nothing more boring than hearing about someone else’s vacation, so you have my permission to stop reading now; however, I might have some interesting notes.

I spent the last week in Jacksonville, North Carolina, visiting children and grandchildren.  Jacksonville has the youngest population of any city in the United States.  That’s because of a rather large Marine base hosting the majority of that population (and a few other military installations in the area).  During my week there, I was privileged to meet some of the young (and sometimes not so young) men and women who proudly serve this country in the military (and their families).  To say I was impressed is a total understatement.  If they are the future of our country, we are in good hands.

Just a few thumbnail sketches:

A Cobra (attack helicopter) pilot who had a college degree in Foreign Service Studies.  She was planning to get out before retirement because she believed in the concept of the “citizen soldier”. 

A Cobra pilot who had gotten back from Iraq recently who had extended his tour there because he was single and wanted to give a married man a chance to go home before him.

An aircraft mechanic (of some sort) (actually, I met his wife) who had just left for Iraq.  She was proud of her husband and what he was doing and was calmly keeping things running smoothly at home.

An enlisted person about to enter training to be a drill instructor–sharp as a tack and dedicated to serving her country.

There were many others–these are the highlights.  My conclusion was that we need to thank all of our soldiers and their families for the sacrifices they make.  We can be proud of the soldiers who are defending us–they are a class act!