All males in my immediate family served in the military. My brother Lawrence served in the US Army's 41st Infantry Division during WWII. Beginning in Australia, they fought their way to the Philippines and then occupation duty in Japan. Brother Ellis joined the Navy right out of high school in June 1944. Served in the Pacific on a sea plane tender, including service at Okinawa as the Kamikaze planes rained down. The rest of the five boys never saw combat but served: Leonard, Navy, 1948-52; Ernie, Army, 1951-53; Wayne, Army, 1953-55; Lester, Army, 1954-56; George, Army, 1958-60. In addition, our sisters married WWII veterans: Josephine's first husband, Clifford Baird, Navy; after his death, she married Bud Bray, Army, who lost an arm in the Philippines. Helen's husband, Walter Johnson, was in the Coast Guard and was on landing crafts in the Pacific. Our father's brother served during WWI, and our mother's brother died of an illness before deployment during WWI. Our family is not gung ho "kill them all" type people. But when our country needed us, we responded and showed up for basic and boot camp--fleeing to Canada or some other sanctuary was farthest from our minds. And I ask a question of writers who defend young men who did not serve when called because of some personal ideology: What if everyone shared that view? There are many jobs besides fighting, and the government offers conscientious objectors (CO) that choice. My four older brothers and three brothers-in-law are deceased. Now I am 85, belong to the American Legion Post 639, the Korean War Veterans Assn. of the Ozarks, and for 11 years have directed Veterans Connection, a monthly breakfast for interested veterans. I honor veterans who in so many ways defended our country. May God continue to bless our country, is my prayer.