Tina Farquain, News Editor

During the holidays students return home and distant relatives surface, but for many families in America, and in Bryan County, loved ones do not get to return home. The reason being is because they are American soldiers and they are sacrificing their lives for their country and for us.

Thousands of Americans are deployed and will not be home anytime soon. They are fighting the ISIS movement in foreign countries in hopes to prevent the movement from spreading closer to home.

I do not like war and think fighting fire with fire creates a lot of devastation. I prefer to love on my haters, or, if necessary just ice them out, but never retaliate.  This is why I will never be Commander in Chief. I am pretty passive and refrain from instigating any trouble.

Every time our president decides to take part in a war, many criticize him. But there are many factors to take into consideration before taking a stand. I may not like the act of war but I see the reasoning in deploying troops to Syria and the Middle East.   I have a friend that is a Marine who just graduated from basic training. At the first of the year, he is being deployed to Syria.

Honestly I would rather troops go overseas and fight than fighting on the  home   front while America suffers destruction. We, as Americans, have experienced attacks in our home. I do not like the feeling of being wounded and vulnerable.

No matter our opinion of the president, or our feelings about war, we as Americans should respect what our American soldiers do for us.

A year ago I never thought I would feel this way about the military and relationships. However, opinions, thoughts and ideas change continuously.

I am a military girlfriend and I couldn’t be more proud. My boyfriend is a scout in the National Guard and right now he is in Advanced Individual Training (AIT). A few years ago I had a completely different opinion on this kind of situation. I love my country and I support our troops, but frankly, I never wanted to be this close of a supporter.

I have many relatives that are in the military or are veterans. I respect them greatly.  I am not strong enough, mentally or physically, to become a soldier and I never want to be. I have been able to guess by stories and stereotypes what it takes to be an American soldier, but it is more than I ever thought.

My boyfriend has missed our anniversary, my birthday, me breaking my foot and some other important dates and happenings. It has been different not having him around for the past few months, but that is nothing compared to the families and loved ones that haven’t had their soldier home in a year.

I am one of the lucky ones. He gets to come home for Thanksgiving. He is not getting stationed anywhere and he has no more training. Once he is home, he gets to stay home.

I admire the men, women and families that have to go months and  years without seeing their loved one. Civilians probably never think about something like that, and they really have no need. But I do hope that no matter what kind of relationship you are in, you take the little things into consideration and appreciate things such as a time spent together or a short phone call. I sure do appreciate the small stuff quite a bit more now.

This year as everyone gathers around the table to share family, food and love, I hope many will be thankful for the great company they get to enjoy. Also give thanks to those whom have an empty chair at their table this year. Remember that some may instead be having a Skype dinner or just exchanging a phone call, but to them, it means the world.

Any American in a relationship with a soldier, whether family, friend or other, has a special outlook on daily living. Time apart is spent moving forward and time together is cherished.

Say thanks to our troops, but don’t forget about those waiting one the sidelines. Their battle is just as hard. My gratitude could never amount to their dedication. We should all remember our troops, veterans, and lost soldiers because they give more than most do in a lifetime.

Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving.