The Military Face You Don't Know: Dedication and Retirement

The real face of the military is not just the one on the news. The real face of the military is not the one on the front page of the paper, or on the TV. The real face of the military is not always the one who receives the ticker tape parade or the Medal of Honor. There is another military face that you don't know.

The military face that you don't know is one many. The military face you don't know is a man or woman who dedicates their life to serving this country, and retire quietly and without acclaim, and transition into civilian life.

These are the men and women who put country and flag before all else. They put flag and country before their own personal safety, before their families, before or instead of higher education, before personal profit or gain, and they do it without complaint, and with more dignity than many of us can muster.

They willingly sacrifice years, even decades of their lives to the military. They live where the military tells them, and how the military tells them. They cannot "call in sick" when they don't feel like working. They learn things that most of us will never know. Through their service they gain the kind of wisdom that comeswith a lifetime of experience.

They live each day in service of the military, respectfully, with honor, and with integrity. These ideals saturate every aspect of their lives. They don't do it for the glory, or the hopes of receiving a medal or their 15 minutes of fame. They do it because they believe is the right thing to do. How many of us can say that about our jobs, or about our daily choices?

How do I know all of this about the unknown face of the military you might ask?

I have the privilege to know one such military man.

This summer he will be retiring from the Air Force after 21 years of uninterrupted service. Most of those years served were spent on active military duty. He's been to many places, of which he has pictures. He has seen many things, of which he does not speak. After more than 20 years, its time for his retirement.

He joined the Air Force when he was 17. After getting married and having children, he spent the tail end of his military time in the Air Force Reserve. He is now coming upon his 39th birthday, and within weeks of that birthday, when he will retire from the military. He has no regrets about the time he dedicated to serving this country. He has a sense of accomplishment, and of pride, in the work that he did.

I envy his sense of accomplishment. There are so many things I have yet to do, and so many places left to see. In his military service, he has satisfied those needs, and does not have that sense that so many of us do, that there is so much left "undone" in our lives.

When he retires, he will enjoy a small retirement ceremony in his unit, along with a couple of other members, receive his final ribbon, and go home. In 20 years he will receive his retirement check.

When the day comes for his retirement, he does not want to have a big party or a big celebration. He does not want to make a big deal about his retirement. He wants his retirement to reflect his time served: quietly, and without fanfare. For him, dedicating his life to and serving the military was the reward.

His medal of honor? Knowing he served his country, his friends, and his family with integrity.