I’ve always been proud to be the daughter of two Marines. Two people who joined the military right out of high school so they could have a chance of a better life for themselves and their future children. They went on to see many duty stations and selflessly serve their country in the Marine Corps for 21 years.
My parents hold their service in high regard, but of course it has come with hardships as well: I’ve seen them lose friends to suicide more times than I would like to count, but still be there for their friends and family because no one gets left behind. I’ve seen them advocate for their benefits year after year – benefits that should be easy to access because of their service. But the journey to receiving care isn’t so easy.
So on this Veterans Day, I want to say thank you to my parents. I may never be able to fully repay you for what you and others have sacrificed, but I will continue to try. I’m honored to be part of the community you raised me in and continue your legacy of giving back to our country with my work at the George W. Bush Institute. And I hope that every American will take time this Veterans Day to thank a veteran and their family for their service and to find a way to give back to our country.
During his service, my father deployed to more than 11 countries around the world and served in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Eastern Exit-Somalia, and Operation Enduring Freedom. He served as a drill instructor for the Officer Candidate School and a first sergeant at the Basic School, shaping the next generation of Marines.
I saw my father earn his bachelor’s degree and master’s degrees while working, moving duty stations, and juggling his family. My mother would go on to do the same, never giving up on her dreams, even though her path was much harder, especially when my father was deployed.
My mother was on active duty for four years and then transitioned to a military spouse, which I could confidently say was her greatest and toughest role. She transitioned from base to base, job to job, all while taking care of two children and ensuring our family had the best foundation we could wherever we were stationed. Managing all this, sometimes on her own when my father was away, she still managed to show up for herself, her spouse, and her daughters and make something completely incredible of her own life.
At the George W. Bush Institute, we combat many of the issues they faced and reaffirm the importance of our democracy. We work toward helping ensure veterans and their families transition to civilian life as easily as possible and have access to resources like Check-In, which connects them to high-quality mental and brain health care. Our Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program focuses on developing the skills of leaders working with the veteran community in multiple ways to elevate veterans, spouses, family members, and more.
There’s still so much work to do, but people like my parents and the one percent of our population that become service members have earned our service and advocacy in return.
We owe every day that we live in freedom to our veterans. I am proud to be the daughter of two of them and to share their stories this Veterans Day.
