What would you do If I told you that I’m planning and patiently waiting on an opportunity to destroy you and your family’s home, way of life, take everything from you, and ultimately kill you all? The reason? Because I believed that your way of life is immoral and I am sent from God to eliminate you! What if I had numerous friends or family of mine that also were committed to this same mindset?

I can imagine that you would do whatever you could to ensure that harm never came to you or your family. This is a concept that many service members have subscribed to in the past, but nowadays, is this what a motivation of ours? To protect our families and our homes?

I’m making this blog post because I want to remind some that we need to get back to embracing our military pride! Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsman, Soldiers, Airman, and Guardians take pride in your military service. You are one of the bravest people in your lives. Be one of the proudest! Take satisfaction in knowing that no matter what stage you are in your life as a service member, you are a hero. Some of us are new heroes, some old heroes, some effective heroes, and some ineffective heroes, but you still are heroes! There are inmates in prison, members of treacherous gangs, people of high influence on society, and none of them compares to you as far as your impact on your communities. DON’T TAKE IT LIGHTLY! Embrace your service! Don’t make it weird, and turn it into something crazy, but just acknowledge yourselves. You are oozing prestige, so have pride for your family, your friends, and those who look up to you….those who thank you for your service, or those who pays for your meal to repay you for your sacrifices, or those who watch you from a distance and give you their nod of approval as you go about your business standing the watch for your country.

I’ll close with this: little children are star struck by us, there is a whole archetype of people that want to be us (Stolen Valor folks), and our family can’t stop talking about how proud they are of us. So let’s give them all the best versions of “us”.

Have some F@#king Pride! Salute!

-Tone