Why I Continue to Serve My Country

Why I  continue to serve my country following discharge from the military service.

I grew up in a loving family as the fourth of five children. My father & mother both worked to support and provide for us all. We didn’t have many extras, but we were comfortable and close. I sometimes refer to my childhood as liking to have grown up with Ozzie & Harriet Nelson. In other words, it was what I thought was idealistic. In the late 40s, though, during the depression, times were tough. My two older brothers both served. The oldest was 13 years my senior who served in the Navy and 7 years older, was my Marine brother. I revered them both and always wanted to emulate them. The eldest brother was very social and business-minded. After his military obligation, he continued to serve his state and community through the military service organizations. Because of my closer age difference with my next eldest brother, I saw him as my protector and personal hero. He was the Marine. I saw him as big, tough, loud, fearless, and courageous… because he was all of those, I wanted to be just like him!

In late 1968, when I returned from Vietnam, I went through many years of trying to “fit” back into life. I eventually began serving my community through military organizations. THAT WASN’T ENOUGH. I finally formed and started the East Texas Veterans Appreciation Program in East Texas. I started a Facebook page which now has thousands of followers. I would spend nearly every day, May through October, going to local cafés and restaurants, meeting as many veterans as I could find. I put up posters and newspaper ads, advertising and promoting the annual Veterans Appreciation Day on or near Veterans Day every year for eight years. I invited the Hopkins County Marine Corps League detachment 1357 to come to my programs that were held in churches throughout East Texas. They would show up in their beautiful red jackets and spit-shined shoes to help me usher and seat the hundreds of veterans and their families. Between the seventh and eighth years, in 2017, I was diagnosed with cancer. It knocked me for a loop. By November of that year, I was struggling but was able to MC the last program. I recovered and joined the Hopkins County Marine Corps League, Det. 1357. The Marine Corps League was among my saviors. I have been serving as the Judge Advocate for the detachment since then. My duties include sorting through disagreements between members, which is extremely rare, providing legal and ethical guidance & procedural advice, and being the Master of Ceremonies for all military holidays and flag events at the fabulous Veterans Memorial on Celebration Plaza in downtown Sulphur Springs.

I am thankful and blessed to be involved with the Marine Corps League. There are over 1000 Marine League detachments nationwide that are divided into 10 divisions in 48 states. The MCL consists of more than 76,000 men & women members, including active-duty and reserve Marines, honorably discharged veterans, and qualified Navy FMF Corpsmen who participate in fundraising, civic events, memorials, and promote military Americanism throughout the nation.