Norm,
I was TOTALLY hoping that you would post these family Soldiers photos, so I'm delighted to see them. They're priceless in so many ways, and how many war stories go with so many generations of your family.
How many generations will it take until we have peace on Earth? Maybe too many and peace will never be achieved? Maybe it will one day, due to some unexpected turn of humankinds minds? It certainly can't happen as things are being done between people of the world. I can only imagine how no one wants to lay down the weapons and ways because no one trusts the other side can be trusted, this based on past experience and knowledge. Blind faith will draw fire and extinction, and we're all survivors, so who's going to trust to blind faith? Right?

But, one can still hope and dream ... and pray? I do
I think that more than a faith in God or some other omnipotent power, and He/She/It sending some miracle down to us, we need not to have faith in God when it comes to our human life on Earth, we need to have faith and trust in each other!!! ... and aye, there's the rub. THAT is exactly what we DON'T have as a group of human beings all in this world together because we're all a little "once stung, twice shy", or just plain greedy for others resources?
I dunno. The reality is is that we're in this world, as is, as it's really happening, and we're left wondering how to stop the boat and change direction while doing as we do now because if we didn't, we'd get extinct.
Hmmmmm ... I think maybe I've had to much coffee and sugar treats and am on the downswing here.
Anyways, Norm, thank you for posting those photos. I'm glad you did. You have a family of Soldiers, you ARE a Soldier, who has done SO much, AS a soldier, to help stop an incredibly horrible destructive insanity on humanity ... if not for YOU, and those like you ... well ... here we are, and I for one am very indebted to you for your actions ... here I sit, full grown and though poor, have abundance of care, I have children and grandchildren ... I have so many things because of you, and others who stopped those insanities.
By the way, your are SO good looking in that uniform!!! Hubba hubba ... Lucky Betty

And my lordy, you look increedibly YOUNG in that photo ... exactly how old/young were you when it was taken???
Karmen