I'm glad that people know my military service. But, like this nation, we are more than our military. And the rest of our story is the same as the rest of my story.

My first direct encounter with the military was when I joined ROTC as a graduate student, although my father, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, can trace the military service in our family all the way back to the Revolutionary War.

We have kept memorabilia from our days in military service. When we realized that Marge was eligible for a presidential unit citation, and medals and ribbons designating places where the hospital shop docked and she served during the war, I went to work. It took a lot of paperwork and phone calls, but I am pleased she finally will get her awards.

“Choosing a branch of service is like buying a car. What looks the shiniest and goes 0-60 the fastest may not be what will benefit you the most in the long run. You have to consider the overall cost of ownership.”

I don't know about his military service, but he was never a pharmaceuticals executive.

This event is designed to let all of our military families, active service people, veterans and other everyday heroes know how much they mean to our country and community,