Veterans Day / Rembrance Day
I am fortunate to have never lost someone I know to war, or even had a close family member who was in a war. My grandfathers were too young for WWI and too old for WWII. My dad was 4F from Korea. My uncle served in the navy in the narrow gap between Korea and Vietnam. Of my male cousins, one had no interest in joining the military, and the other, while in ROTC at college, suffered a career-ending knee injury while playing football.
Everyone else was female, none of whom volunteered. Without a family history of military service, the inclination isn't there.
I have a few friends who are or have been in the military, and seen combat. To them, and to the countless strangers who have done the same, I offer my thanks for them being willing to be in the hard places at the hard times.