Courtesy Photo | Pictured here is Capt. Christopher Misner, commanding officer of Naval Air Station...... read more read more
KINGSVILLE, Texas - The holiday season is a time to be grateful for what we have, make the extra effort to get together with friends and family and truly appreciate the blessings in our lives.
For many, the season brings about a profound gratitude to those who have helped make our lives a little easier. Whether it be the veteran in uniform participating in an annual parade or the sight of returning veterans at the airport who deployed in service of our country; it is in these times, most often around the holidays, that we hear the phrase, “Thank you for your service.”
These five words should not be reserved for use during the holidays and special occasions. They should be shared throughout the year.
As the commander for Naval Air Station Kingsville, I am focused on our men and women in uniform and am staunchly aware that caring for our service members, veterans and their families is a year-round duty. We have a responsibility to those serving in uniform, returning from war and to honor the fallen, the wounded and their families.
As a nation, we have been at war for more than a decade. More than 2.2 million active duty, reserves, National Guard and Air National Guard are currently in uniform and make up less than one percent of the nation’s total population – a small representation, but a demographic not to be forgotten. Our service members continue to bear the cost of our wars and readily stand watch over our nation’s peace.
Here at NAS Kingsville we play a vital role in supporting both war and peacetime efforts. Commissioned shortly after the outbreak of World War II, our mission has largely remained the same – to train Navy and Marine Corps tactical jet pilots to become the world’s best combat aviators who are often forward-deployed to combatant commands.
Each year, our instructor pilots and civilian personnel support nearly 200 students as they navigate through the undergraduate jet/strike pilot training that will prepare them for the next phase of their careers. While some of our graduates will be sent to fly missions off of carriers around the globe, supporting air strikes and conducting reconnaissance missions, others will remain stateside to protect our national interests at home.
For the last 72 years, Kingsville residents have welcomed our jet noise, understanding that freedom is not free. We have formed a close connection with our host community and I believe that events such as “Wings Over South Texas 2014” in March helped form a better understanding of our role in our nation’s history and in our culture. Events such as this provide us with a tremendous opportunity to open our gates and allow our biggest supporters – the American taxpayer and citizen – to share in the pride of our military and see firsthand the remarkable equipment used and the skills demonstrated by our country's finest every day.
Like NAS Kingsville’s rich heritage in this community, Texas has a long history is supporting our nation’s veterans.
Texas is very special. That is why I chose to command at NAS Kingsville. From the defense of that tiny mission at the Alamo, to the defeat of our enemies in Afghanistan, Texans get it. The history of Texas is truly the history of our nation and Texans have proven time and again that she will give her all to defend this great land.
A great Texan and our former governor, Rick Perry, once said, “Whenever they’ve been needed, the members of America’s Armed Forces have risen to the challenge of protecting our nation from foes around the world. Our veterans remain the reason the United States is, today, the world’s shining beacon of freedom and prosperity … we must never lose sight of the debts we owe them … These brave men and women risk all for love of country and Texans will always do our part to welcome our veterans home …”
For 239 years, the Navy has stood strong and our nation’s citizens have continued to support our efforts. From Bunker Hill to Basra, Kason to Kandahar and this new front against Islamic-Extremists in Northern Iraq and Syria, America remains steadfast in defending the rights of free men wherever freedom and liberty is threatened.
With roughly 38,000 American service members remaining in Afghanistan and hundreds of thousands more deployed overseas, many will not be joining us home for the holidays. So I challenge you to bring a little of home to them starting with this holiday, but actively working to extend your efforts above and beyond the holidays.
Take time to put together a care package or send a card. Strike up a conversation with a veteran, volunteer with veterans' programs and organizations to include visiting a Veterans Affairs hospital. You can send an "E-Card" through the American Legion, send a note to your local school to urge the teachers to discuss our military or invite a service member to speak at your school. Have your children paint a picture or write a letter and send it to any relative who is a veteran. Do a random act of kindness for a service member or their family and talk to your children about the pride we have in our military.
There are endless ways to thank those who have served us so selflessly and their service needs to be remembered and honored throughout the year, not just during the holidays.
Don’t wait until Memorial Day, Veterans Day or Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, don’t let the service member in uniform returning from a deployment at the airport be the trigger that reminds you to say, “Thank you for your service.”
Thank a veteran every day, not just on the holidays.
For more information about NAS Kingsville’s mission, visit http://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrse/installations/nas_kingsville.html. Visit us on our Facebook site at http://www.facebook.com/nas.kingsville.9 or contact me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CAPTMISNER.
Capt. Christopher Misner
NAS Kingsville
| Date Taken: | 11.26.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.26.2014 11:44 |
| Story ID: | 148918 |
| Location: | KINGSVILLE, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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