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Sue Spitulnik

Writing, Sewing, Travel, and Thoughts

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U.S. flag

Caskets Verses Baby Blanket

Tessa caught the look on Michael’s face when he opened the package. She commented, “My son thought you would like a U.S. flag flying out front. Was he wrong?”

“I’m sorry. The flag reminds me of the number of draped caskets I’ve escorted and the families who paid the price.” Tears formed. He let her see them. “Now that pink baby blanket you are knitting gives me hope and helps me focus on the future.”

“I’ll explain to Brent and we’ll pass the flag to my parents. Theirs is quite faded.”

“Thank you, for understanding and backing me up.”

 

Written in response to Charli Mills May 28, 2020, prompt at Carrot Ranch Literary: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using two words that contradict. Examples include champagne and hard-rock; rosemary and sewage; duck down and firecrackers; sleep and square-dancing. Use one of these or make up your own. Go where the prompt leads!

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A Marine’s Memory

 

Thank you Dave Cole for your service and for sharing the reality of war. (I know this is really long, but may give a non military connected person a taste of why we always stand for the flag )

Happy Marine Corps Birthday to my Marine Corps friends that I still remember killed in Vietnam Battle Continue reading “A Marine’s Memory” →

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Whole Family Serves

I have learned the hard way that families who have never had a military member have no understanding of what being deployed is all about. To those who have a deployed member or have paid the ultimate sacrifice, I salute you. You are what makes this country free and you are the ones that understand what the U.S. flag means to those who fight for it. Thank you! Continue reading “Whole Family Serves” →

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National Purple Heart Day

The first Purple Heart was created by General George Washington in 1782 to be presented to soldiers for “any singularly meritorious action”.  Since 1917 it has been awarded to any soldier, in any branch of U.S. service, when they are wounded or killed in action.  I happen to believe it should be awarded to every service member because of the wounds they receive to their psyche; the ones that another person can’t see.

I attend the local Veteran’s Writing group in the city where I live.  We met yesterday morning and I asked who had a purple heart.  Out of the three Viet Nam Vets, One WWII Vet, and three Iraq/Afghanistan Vets, no one had been awarded a Purple Heart for a visible wound to their body.  But, I know they all carry the wounds of being deployed.  Each one of them has lost a close friend, or wartime “brother” or “sister” during a combat related experience.  Each one of them admits to nightmares about something they were ordered to do, something they saw happen, or sometimes about the fact they couldn’t make a difference when they thought it was their duty to do so, or the fact they came home alive when their buddy didn’t.

I made the comment, “I was just a dependent wife,” because in my mind, that’s all I was.  I never had to face being shot at in a war zone, or hold my friend’s mortally wounded body while he took his last breath.  One of the Vets, Steve, told me after our writing session that if I left my childhood home to be the wife of a military service member, I too was a veteran.  If only for the fact I understand what sacrifices they make so the citizens of the United States can enjoy the freedoms they do.  I wish I had the capability to make eveyone understand what it does to any past or present military service member when they see someone disrespect the flag of this country.

Don’t get me wrong.  I am all for free speech and freedom of expression.  I just wish everyone could understand those freedom’s come with a heavy price for our service members.  Another point Steve made today is that military personnel are expected to be tough.  They go through a rigorous training to make them that way.  So when they realize they need help with some of their unseen wounds it is hard for them to admit it and seek help.

I have come to respect every person I’ve met in the Veteran’s Writing group, if not love them.  If it were up to me, they would all have a Purple Heart.

 

 

 

 

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