November 11, 2009

My father, Sal Milazzo, is a veteran. The Army took a skinny 106-pound young man from New Orleans and an Italian mess hall cook fattened him up to 125 pounds. When Sal wasn’t peeling potatoes on KP, he learned to box (that’s the black-eye in the photo). The Army sent dad to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for winter training and then trained him to fight an enemy hidden in snow. Using Army logic they sent him to the Pacific to fight the Japanese in places like Angaur and Peleliu during World War II. Dad’s younger brother, Frank, is an Army veteran too. He fought in the Korean War (for some reason politely called a police action).

Both of Tom’s parents are also veterans. His mom’s parents couldn’t see the value in spending money they didn’t have on a college education for a “girl.” So his mom went into the Army, rose to the rank of corporal and returned home from Germany (where she met Tom’s dad), to fund her own education using the GI Bill. Tom’s dad’s two older brothers fought in Korea. One brother won the Silver Star and stayed in the Army long enough to fight later in Vietnam. Tom’s dad bucked family tradition by joining the Navy and also served in Germany, breaking codes during the Cold War (he still works those cryptogram puzzles in the newspaper).

It’s stating the obvious to say we wouldn’t be here today without our veterans.

On this Veteran’s Day, I’d like to thank all the veterans out there, everyone who has served our beloved country and those still on active or reserve duty, in service to our country. At every one of my CLNC^® Certification Programs, I meet legal nurse consultants who are either serving or who have served as nurses in the various services. I also meet many who have children who are currently in uniform.

Americans have always stood up when called on, in times of war and in times of peace. Our National Guard troops helped my hometown of New Orleans after Katrina and, along with our regular services, are often called away from their own families to help others during and after various crises, all over the country and all over the world. Our military serves so many roles beyond the obvious and do so faithfully, as an all-volunteer force, often under-funded and under-supported but always there when called on.

I wish we could have a united world free of war and conflict. But, since we never have, to say we wouldn’t be here without our veterans is an understatement. Thanks to all of you and especially to you Dad.

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