I have to admit I admire anyone who can blog on a weekly or monthly basis. I
always struggle with a topic or what to say. With my book releasing on Memorial
Day, I thought it fitting to talk about my military career and honor those who
have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
To begin, I joined the military right out of high school, serving both in the
active duty Army and in the Army and Air National Guard. I was fortunate to have
served with the most wonderful and selfless individuals. I learned about eternal
friendships, unyielding strength and determination, and teamwork. I also learned
about never giving up.
My first example of this was about six weeks into Army Basic Training. It was
around 9 p.m., raining and nearly forty degrees. You could see our breaths
against the backdrop of the night sky. There were four platoons of around forty
females: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta. Each one of us received three
magazines and several ammo cases. Me, along with five other women, were tasked
to load the M-16 magazines with live rounds for night qualification. I'm not
sure if we were being punished for not having our boots shined or if we were at
the wrong place at the wrong time. Either way, we sat there all the same, our
fingers numb, our bodies cold, and wondering what the hell were we thinking when
we enlisted.
I didn't think anything could make it worse, until one of the drill sergeants
started screaming at us to move faster. We all felt like giving up, but we didn't.
As a team, we worked together to get the job done, huddling up to stay warm, and
singing our favorite cadences to make the time go faster. The next day, I had to
walk by the drill sergeant's office, and overheard him on the phone. He said, "I
felt so sorry for them. It was so cold, but I knew they could do it. They made
me proud." That always stuck with me, and I try to remember that moment when I
feel like I want to quit. There will be some miserable, quit-able moments. Keep
going. Believe in yourself and know there are more people who believe in you, as
well.
Another memory I have was when I was working the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall
several years ago with the Ohio Air National Guard. Using a computer-generated
program, I was assigned to help family and friends locate their loved ones on
the granite stone. Late, the Buckeye Guard interviewed me about one particular
experience. This is what I had to say:
"A gentleman came to the tent asking for information on an individual. His
face was expressionless, he showed no emotion. I found the name he wanted and
asked if he needed assistance locating it on the wall. He accepted my help, and
when I pointed out the name, he reached up to touch the letters. It was then
that he broke down in tears…clutching the paper I had given him. All I could
think to do was walk away."
Memorial Day is a day to honor all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
May we never forget.
The Marquess of Wesley is out for blood. For a year, Lord Wesley has tried to
undo the devastation his father left to Penndrake, their ancestral home, only to
discover the man gambled it away right before his death. Now Wesley is being
blackmailed by the new owner into marrying a woman he’s never met in order to
get it back. But his intentions are less than honorable…
At one and twenty, Miss Kate Holden intends to become a governess, having
sworn off all men years ago. However, her plans are halted when she receives a
daunting letter from her cousin about a Lord Wesley. Ignorant of the name, and
the devilish marquess that wears it all too well, she nearly ends up
compromised. Refusing to fall prey to Wesley’s skillful seduction, Kate decides
to turn things around on the rake. But the high-stakes game between them soon
leads to her losing the last thing she expected…her heart.
Romance Historical
[Entangled Amara, On Sale: May 28, 2018, e-Book,
ISBN: 9781640635753 / eISBN: 9781640635753]
A LEO wife, mother, and military veteran, Tammy began writing when the shows
and movies she watched didn't end the way she wanted them to end. Whether it's
historical or contemporary, for her, there must always be a happy
ending.
When she's not writing, she's spending time with her husband and
two boys near Cleveland, Ohio. Without their sacrifice and understanding, she
believes she would have never been able to pursue her passion of writing or her
accomplishment of becoming a published author.
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