It's May, so thank a member of the service

Today is May 1, the beginning of Military Appreciation Month.

A lot of organizations are offering discounts to active duty and retired military personnel to show their appreciation. But how can one show enough gratitude to those who are laying their lives on the line in the interest of protecting you and me so we can live our lives uninterrupted by war?

Lately, Gulf Breeze News has had the privilege of telling about some of the World War II veterans who live in our area. They came from all over the United States, those young men and women who answered the call to defend freedom overseas when many of them had scarcely been outside their tiny hamlets.

Some of their memories are still too painful to verbalize, even after 65-plus years.

Some of these veterans are meeting their neighbors and discovering they lived a block or two from a fellow WWII vet, never knowing that the other shared similar experiences and pain.

In our area, there are many retired career military personnel who followed Uncle Sam's orders to Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and other conflicts, leaving behind their families, their safety and their comfort.

Many of these servicemen and women volunteered to place their careers, educations and personal lives on hold while they served their country.

My own father served in World War II, serving as a signalman on a boat in the European theatre. Growing up, I never fully appreciated the danger he faced crossing the Atlantic where German submarines could send you to the depths while you slept. He kept his memories private, so I can only speculate about the fear he felt.

So, to all you retired and active duty servicemen and women, we salute you for all your sacrifices and say, "Thank You."