Letter from a Marine's Father to Rep. Donald Manzullo

This was sent to me by a reader whose full name is omitted, but whose letter I reprint in its entirety:

The Honorable Mr. Manzullo
Illinois 16th District
Washington D.C.

Mr. Manzullo,
May this letter find you in a special state of Thanks for all of the sacrifices of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines during this Thanksgiving holiday season. And also, a warm Thanksgiving wishes to you, your family, and loved ones.

I have never written a member of Congress before, but something happened tonight that changed me forever. Something happened that made me realize that we, as a nation, are failing to recognize the daily sacrifices of a truly special group of people, a special group of people that our very nation depends on more than we've ever appreciated...up until now that is.

I received a call this evening from my son, Daniel, who has proudly served in our United States Marine Corps since September of 2007. As you probably know just hearing from our sons and daughters who are far away from home is cause enough to be thankful (they never have time to call us, am I right?), but this particular call made me especially thankful. Not for my son mind you, whom I'm VERY proud of, but for his new wife (and college sweetheart) Rachel, whom he married in a North Carolina courthouse (in front of exactly 5 people - including the judge) in June of this year. Let us all be thankful for our troops this holiday season, but let us also be thankful for their spouses, who put up with just as much as their counterparts, with even less of our thanks than they truly deserve.

We, as a nation, bestow great honor and tidings to those who don the uniform in defense of our freedoms and way of life. It is only fitting and proper that we do this, in order that we may show our deep appreciation and gratitude. The various medals we bestow upon them are in all cases worn with valour and pride by the patriots who fully deserve our accolades.

But, at the same time Mr. Manzullo, let us not forget those who silently serve behind those guardians of freedom, who in most cases walked away from everything they've ever loved to be with those who serve our flag.

Was there not a Mrs. Washington, a Mrs. MacArthur, or a Mrs. Chesty Puller (God rest his soul) who served our country just as faithfully as their hallowed and vaunted husbands? Was there not a Mrs. Grant or a Mrs. Lee whom their soldier husbands sought solace after the death and carnage of those battlefields of yesteryear? Do we not also owe THEM an official vote of thanks for all of the cares, worries, and support they provided in our Nation's hour of need?

The obvious answer to this is a resounding "YES!", and the time has come to bestow upon them an official Presidential Medal of recognition, a medal of elegance, ruggedness, and beauty for all of their hard-earned sacrifices, that up until now have never been fully appreciated.

It is they who wonder if their husbands or wives will ever return home. It is they who wonder if their kids will ever see their mother or father again. It is they who silently toil behind the curtain of freedom their husbands and wives so valiantly defend.

Mr. Manzullo, as a former married Marine myself I ask that you sponsor legislation that will officially award a Presidential Medal to all of those who've given up everything to be by the side of those who valiantly serve our cause of liberty. For every hero there's more than likely a wife or husband who helped to make it all possible. In this season of Thanksgiving let us remember them with a Presidential recognition medal they so valiantly and truly deserve.

May God bless our military wives and husbands, and may God bless The United States of America.

Nathan D.
Huntley, IL

Whether or not Congress votes a medal for military spouses, we should at least remember them in our prayers.