What were you thankful for last week?

What were you thankful for last week? Like many of us, it is taken for granted that we live in the greatest country ever devised by man, despite its many problems. Hopefully your good fortune was shared with the less fortunate among us in one way or another by direct or indirect sharing.
Personally, I, as a veteran, am are always mindful of the service of the millions in uniform serving on Thanksgiving Day and every holiday while the rest of us enjoy the fruits of their labor and ever vigilante protection.
Whether in Europe, Asia, Africa or some bustling or lonely outpost here at home, these fine men and women are serving the rest of us and keeping us safe as we go about our holiday and everyday activities.
As we have all witnessed in recent months, there is always danger of death and injury out in the world even if the troops involved are not in direct combat. Mistakes have happened causing many of our brave volunteers their lives. Because we are human, mistakes will continue to happen, but make sure when you hear, see or read about these military accidents that they are usually the result of continuous training, which often involves complexities far beyond my pay grade.
Those who have never served might need an analogy to all of this needful training and I can only say look at the fire fighters, police, athletes, musicians and others among us who are always fine tuning their craft to get better and better at what they do or what they are passionate about.
One reason the military accidents are happening is because the military also fine tunes its mission on a daily basis. If the folks that protect us do not "practice" the methods and maneuvers necessary to keep their edge, then when the world requires what is called "kinetic force" we won't be ready.
Here's the rub --- budget money must be allocated to keep our forces in tip top shape with training and equipment. Being thankful for our military can be made more real to those that serve by telling your senators and congressmen to free up the money our uniformed folks need.
It would be a meaningful Christmas present, perhaps almost as important as the gift basket you're planning to send Major Jane or Sergeant John. Tools and training for the holidays, that's the ticket to continued freedom to celebrate them in peace.  
Even if you are a non-violent citizen of everlasting peace. Even if you are fundamentally opposed to foreign military intervention. Even if you are a conscientious objector. If we are going to field an army at all, it should be the best trained and the best equipped that the world's richest nation can offer. We owe it to those who volunteer to put their lives on the line for the rest of us in order that our free speech can be exercised.
I am thankful we have the money to do this - so let's do it.