By By Adam Prestridge
It was touching to see the Atmore community rally around the active and retired military men and women on Veterans Day.
A lot of people like to belly ache about the holiday because the banks are closed and they can’t deposit a check or because schools are closed and they have to find someone to take care of their children, but inconvenience is not what the holiday is meant for. I believe in today’s fast-paced world, people forget how their freedom was earned and the opportunities that they were afforded thanks to the men and women who are and have served our great nation.
I’m confident to say those troops were not worried about banks being open or school bells ringing when they were in the bunkers in France or the swamps of Vietnam. Making it home alive to see their families again was the most important thing.
When my wife, Jennifer, and I first moved to Atmore, we had the great pleasure of welcoming home the brave men and women of the 711th Signal Battalion based out of Atmore. Although we did not know any of the troops, as a matter of fact, we did not know many people in town at all, we took great pride in being a part of that great welcoming home celebration. Since then, we have made friends with several of those soldiers and even today, I am still proud of their service.
So, for those who felt the inconveniences of another federal holiday, I hope you slowed down and remembered those who served our country selflessly knowing that they may not have ever seen their wives, husbands, children or family again, and those that continue to serve.
I took time out of my busy schedule Tuesday to call my father, Richard, a 27-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, and my two brothers, Alan and Eric, who are both still currently serving our country as reserves with the U.S. Army. My father served in Vietnam and Alan, a captain, returned in 2006 after 18 months in Iraq.
So, to my family members for their service and to all the other service men and women around the country, thank you and God bless.
Adam Prestridge is publisher of the Atmore Advance. He can be reached at 368-2123.