June is an unassuming month...we are past Mothers Day and the commonly misunderstood Memorial Day and moving into Fathers Day which barely gets lip service and also Flag Day that is treated even worse. Both hold special prominence if as a Father/Veteran/LEO/Fireman/EMT you were deployed or on duty in June of each year on these days. The sacrifices made at the expense of our families is many times overlooked by the general populace and even our own families and friends. That being said, the flag holds a special place in our heart and it is good to remember the reason for the flag also our Fathers as so many have sacrificed for this country over the past 240+ years.
I remember the first time the flag really made an impact on me. Yes, we said the Pledge in school and learned about the flag growing up. My father is a retired Marine so honor, patriotism, loyalty, and reverence to the flag and what it stood for was not only taught but expected. During one of my training ventures we had been kept from sleep and food and along with a host of other items to make us uncomfortable. During nearly three weeks of a constant level of stress of both physical and mental impact, we are made to do an About-Face to not see what was expected but to see Old Glory flying in the breeze with lights on her. Then the National Anthem played as we stood there at attention with the flag waiving...raising salutes to honor her. Tears filled my eyes, my heart burst open, as the stress and anxiety of the previous period poured out and it became clear that my service was much more than just a way to finish my education or see the world. It was much larger than that from a personal standpoint as well as a nationalistic one. It made my life matter, my volunteering to do what very few aspire to be that much more respected and important.
The next time it meant something special as when I was returning home from one of my deployments...weapons and rucks moved from my initial military airlift out of country to a commercial flight for the final leg home. Nobody knew where I had been nor cared as it was just before Christmas in the mid-90s. A couple months earlier I was on a stage receiving recognition for being the Enlisted Person of the Year for an organization of some notoriety as well as some other similar awards for various units or associations. I was quickly ferried off from the ceremony with words from a General Officer telling the audience that soon I would be leaving to support joint operations in a certain part of the world that the JCS had decided to support and to wish me Godspeed. So here I was coming home earlier than expected from this deployment and feeling great about myself, my achievements, and what I was involved during this short stint...only to be brought to reality by a flag draped coffin being offloaded on the tarmac beside us from another plane. I knew of no casualties in the operation I was directly involved but there were direct actions taking place all around the world that never made it to the nightly news or local papers. Somewhere a family was crying, torn apart, grasping at the fairness of the world, questioning their reasons for service, second guessing their last words spoken, their fights, their hugs, the last time they said, "I love you" to the person. Again tears welled up....my heart tore a little deeper...and I gave thanks for my own family and safety.
GotUr6.org was founded by a military veteran with the help of his brothers and friends that are also veterans, policemen or patriots that love America and those that defend her. We strive to honor those that returned home changed and needing our love and support through adaptive housing, prosthetics, counseling or even recreation to help heal their bodies and minds. Additionally, for the families of those that made the ultimate sacrifice or returned with challenges, we strive to alleviate some of the stress and burden, but knowing we cannot remove the pain or memories...nor should we as that too is part of the healing process. If we can help with a mortgage payment or a summer camp for the children...or even a grant for higher education...then that is our calling and through your generosity and love we can make these dreams and needs a reality for First Responders, Veterans and their families.
Please share this page and our website link. Read what we are about and our goals to help those that are not as lucky as ourselves. If you can donate it is greatly appreciated but if all you can do is give us your support through a meaningful thanks and by sharing this link so that others may see how they can help heal our country and our patriots....that is honorable as well. Thank you for your support and God Bless you and God Bless America. Thank you.