I remember when I was a little boy, listening to my Grandpa talk about his service in WWII. We were always a very patriotic family with strong emotions and feelings about patriotism and duty to country and it is no surprise to me now that my mother has spent so much of her life deicated to helping veterans. I recall as a little child my little brother made my mother take him to the U.S. Army reserve center in Muskegon, Mi. so he could go see the "army men'. When they returned, he had all kinds of Army stickers with which he proceeded to 'decorate' the headboard of his bed. I also recall my mother taking us to the different VA hospitals to help the service members with bingo games. We would help the men with no arms mark their cards and we would yell 'BINGO!' for the men who could no longer talk. The men seemed so happy to receive those silly little coupons to the canteen! But now I know that it wasn't the coupons that made them happy.... You see, all of my life I have been raised a military kid. Neither of my parents were in the military, but I was a military kid just the same. When we played outside, we would make pretend guns and fight the pretend 'enemy'. Anything to be in the service of our country...even if it was only make-believe. I think I was the only kid in town to recogize what the gold star in the window of the lonely old lady on my paper route meant. Now that I am older I really know what it means, and to her, whoever she was, I give humble thanks. I also remember when my grandmother passed away, she had members from all of the armed services, all E-6 in rank, all her grandsons, attend her funeral. My grandmother spent a majority of her adult life serving veterans, most of which was service as the Michigan DAVA musician. I am sure that she is in heaven looking down on her daughter, my mother, and she is proud. Just as I am...just as we all are. My mother has been in the service of veterans, literally, her entire life. I remember my dad, in jest, referring to her DAVA unit as 'the old ladys club', well, now my mother is getting up there in years..I guess she is officially one of the club. I know she is also officially a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, at least in my book. I love her with all of my heart and I hereby, with the authority of no particular person, award her with the following....