Saluting Our Veterans

As a lifelong civilian, I'll probably never fully appreciate Veterans' Day, though I do know it's not supposed to be about long weekends and war movie marathons, but about thanking those who served.

I hung out yesterday with (almost-) Captain Ed Novak and his family. Ed spent a long time showing me what he calls his "vacation pictures." These were movies and photos of his tour of duty in Iraq, for which he volunteered (to spare a fellow officer with some serious family medical issues a long time away from his family). The pictures were unbelievably moving: inspiring, heart-wrenching, and in some cases, hilarious.

I also got to read some of Ed's notes. If he doesn't write a book from them, I will.

Now that he's home and safe, I can laugh with Ed about his tour. But I also recall, from the not so distant past, the dread I would often feel after an e-mail exchange.

Spending the day with the Saint, the kids, and Ed and his family was a perfect way to remember what Veterans' Day is supposed to be. On the way back to our house, we drove through Ed's new hometown and saw all the flags he'd hung for Veterans' Day. Somehow, we'd missed them on our first trip through town (probably because we were trying not to get lost).

Thanks for the reminders, Ed, and thanks for your service. Let's do this again next year, when I'll be happy to arrive early and help you hang the flags.

Adam