I think I’ve written about my family members who’ve served in the military before. Two who served in World War II, and three who served in Vietnam. Of them, all came home except one, a great-uncle who perished during the Ardennes Offensive toward the tail end of the war in the European Theater. The remaining four came home, but not without scars. Some physical, some mental and spiritual. One, my other great-uncle who served in World War II, died years after the war, of complications from a leg he lost to a landmine somewhere inside Normandy’s hedgerow country. I never knew him.

The uncles who served in Vietnam (two from my wife’s side of the family) I did get to know. Each of their times over in Vietnam were wildly different from one another. One was a driver for a general. Another was stationed on a firebase that ended up totally surrounded for the duration of the Tet Offensive. Still another spent more time in the bush on long patrols than anywhere else. All came home physically hale, but each was haunted by what they had seen and, in some cases, what they had been forced to do when enemy guns and bayonets were aimed at them.

My uncle, the one who served on the firebase, succumbed to the longterm effects of Agent Orange exposure years before his death, leaving him in a wheelchair in immense pain. He had volunteered to serve, as it had been a childhood dream of his to be a soldier. He had no regrets, at least not where that was concerned. I’m honored and humbled to have been blessed with an uncle like him. He was no saint of a man, but he was someone who did his duty and didn’t think twice about it. That counts for a lot, at least in my book.

No one in my generation of the family has worn the uniform, but we have many friends who have. The last few years have not been easy for a lot of them, and days like today can bring about a mix of feelings. I can’t say I fully understand it, but I can sympathize to the best of my abilities, and offer an ear, or just a companionable silence.

If there’s someone in your life who served, ask them how they’re doing. This day is to honor those who didn’t come home, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore those who did. They were blessed, yes, but many of them are also burdened. If they’re willing to share that burden for just a little bit, lend them a shoulder. It may not seem like much, but it could very well mean the world to the one who needs it.

A Book Written By Veterans, For Veterans

I want to take a moment now to mention a book that’s been in the works for years, that has already helped bring healing to the contributors of it, even before it’s been published. We hope it will do the same for veterans everywhere, and for those who stand beside those veterans as family members, as friends, and as civilian colleagues and coworkers.

June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day. As our way of honoring that, we are releasing a collection of stories from veterans of the Global War on Terror (Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, specifically). We hope you will consider pre-ordering this, for yourself and for any loved ones who have served or—given the state of the world today—are considering serving.

Your Call Is Very Important to Us is a powerful collection of stories, poems, and artwork from veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan War era—voices that are too often unheard, yet deeply needed. Through raw honesty and creative expression, these servicemembers share their experiences not only of war, but of what comes after: the search for purpose, identity, and healing.

This anthology stands as a reminder that veterans are more than their service. Their talents, perspectives, and stories reach far beyond the battlefield, offering connection to those who seek to understand and solidarity to those still finding their way.

For many contributors, writing and art have become lifelines—tools for processing, for rebuilding, and for hope. May this work serve as a bridge: helping veterans feel seen and reminding civilians that understanding begins with listening.

Proceeds from this book support the WeDefy Foundation, providing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu scholarships to disabled veterans—empowering continued healing through community, movement, and resilience.

***Free Audio download***

In honor of Memorial Day, we are offering a free Audible download of any book from the Joint Task Force 13 series to the first five readers who reply to this post on the Three Ravens website.