The men and women who serve in the military pledge to serve at the pleasure of the President--whoever that happens to be.  He is the Commander in Chief.  Period.  Over 21 years, Ken served under a number of Presidents.  Some wise, some not so wise.  But whoever it is, those men and women serve.  Those of us who stay home, have no idea what they are called upon to do.  Sometimes it is good.  But sometimes it isn't.

When Ken left for Viet Nam, the protests of the young people in America were just starting against the war.  Those in the service who were serving in Viet Nam served at the mercy of the President.  Actually they had served at the mercy of a number of Presidents.  No one in leadership could figure out how to get out of Viet Nam, and our young men kept dying.  Same as today in Asia.

I never heard Ken say anything derogatory about anyone except Jane Fonda and Robert McNamera--who was Secretary of Defense from 1961-68.  You have to read up on your history to understand why.  But he continued to serve at the pleasure of the President.  That's what Marines signed up for, and died for.  But it was difficult.  And when they came home, people would wait at debarking and spit on them as they got off the boats.  It was a sad time in American history.

And those of us who waited on them to come home were caught between a rock and a hard place.  We didn't ask for support from anyone.  You didn't know who was on which side of the issue.  I was on the side that just wished it was over and Ken could come home.

And when he did, he said very little to me.  I only remember one thing he said:  "God willing, I will never again kill anyone or anything."  And he didn't.  Even if there was a bug in the house, he would get a newspaper, scoop it up and carry it outside.

He had a few months to do on 21 years, so we moved again to California, El Toro, and Scott would go to the end of the runway and watch his dad take off.  Ken would call home, tell me when his lift off time was, and I would walk Scott to the runway--which was a few blocks from our house on base.  I didn't watch.  I never saw him fly.  I just counted days until it was over.  Until he was completely out of harm's way.  He was a heroic figure.  I was his wife.  It was difficult.  For both of us.