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My dad served in the Navy twice. The first time was when he was 17 and wanting to move out from living with an abusive stepfather. His mom signed his papers if he promised to get his GED in the Navy, which he did. (He also went on afterward to get an associates degree at the local junior college)
The second time he served, he'd been working for an airline and they went on strike. It was 1963 and he and mom had a second child on the way (me). He likes to brag that I cost them a whopping $25! [grin] He left on a cruise that ended up being 10 months long. I was three months old when he left and a toddling 13 month old when he got back.
He also was in Vietnam during this time. The aircraft carrier they were on was in the Tonkin Gulf. My dad over time has had some health issues - a Parkinson's like shaking, bladder cancer, hearing loss, diabetes. His hearing aids are provided by the VA because he worked in the boiler room and they didn't use hearing protection in those days. They are finding out many illnesses that are attributed to Agent Orange, and now realizing that even sailors onboard ships that were in Port were exposed. Here is information on this. My dad didn't know that there were services available to him through the VA, such as his hearing aids, until friend from church who works with veterans told him he should contact the VA. So I am passing this information along to you in the case that any of you know a veteran who has some medical needs.
I share these things so that we can remember the sacrifices that the men and women in the military make on a daily basis, and some have long term consequences.
I'm so grateful to those who served, and are serving today.
3 comments:
What a great story about your Dad and his sacrifices and successes! I appreciate them all! Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!
It is sad that so many of our brave veterans are not told about the benefits available. There is help out there as we have found with Blind Veterans.
Thank your dad for me for his service to this country. Yes, long-term sacrifices...they don’t end the day one gives up the uniform. And your mom sacrificed and even you, though you probably don’t remember not having your dad around in those months he was away. It couldn’t have been easy on him either.
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