Shout-Out to the Men in Uniform

By Claire Hansen
Blog Content Contributor 

In case you didn’t know, there is yet another occasion to celebrate this holiday season. November 19 is International Men’s Day, a day reserved for the celebration of all men — big, small, sporty, nerdy, rugged, groomed — each and every kind. But, right now I would like to put an extra emphasis on the ones who serve for our country. The men (and women) of our military force sacrifice quite a bit for the wellbeing of everyone else, so it’s never a bad time to remind them that they are valued. Shout-out to the men in uniform!

First off, I only chose to emphasize military men because I happen to have a very personal connection to one — my studly best-friend-turned-boyfriend of (almost!) two years now up and left for the Navy last August, to train for the highly-ambitious position of aviator. I have been watching him and his buddies go through the most intense, rigorous training ever since, and it has consequently made me feel compelled to put an accentuation on military personnel, across all branches, this fine Sunday, for the effort they put in to keep our country safe.

Between the Navy, Air Force, Marines, Army,and Coast Guard, there are numerous critical and dangerous jobs to be held by these strong young men. From pararescue, aviation and explosive ordnance disposal, it’s clear that being a member in the military, no matter what position you hold, is no cake walk. Getting stripped of your rights and shipped off without a phone or any other personal belongings, where you spend months waking up at the crack of dawn just to get screamed at and beat up during basic training, is quite a feat by itself. It requires an endless supply of dedication and perseverance to have a career that is defined by protecting a nation. Anyways, although I think some of the things they do can be a little silly, these crazy ventures that our military men have to go through build them to be some of our strongest individuals, and that is something worth congratulating.

With a lot of the focus in today’s world being on women-this and women-that, it is important that we take this day to recognize all the things men still do to contribute, too. Take a second to thank the men in your life, military members or not, for something that they have done or continue to do for you. They may act all tough and strong, but they appreciate the support just as much as us women do.

Featured image by Claire Hansen.