Museum stirs memories

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

June 30, 2005 -   As an Army veteran from the Vietnam era, it never ceases to amaze me when I go on a military base how I am transferred back to the years I served in the military. When I recently visited the Texas Military Forces Museum, the sights within the 45,000-square-foot structure stirred many memories.

While I was stationed, stateside, at Fort Holabird, Baltimore, Md., it was then the Intelligence Center of the Army. I remember, like everyone else, where I was when I heard President Kennedy had been shot, and I, along with most military men and women, marched in parades across the nation on the day he was buried.

I've often told people that while a military career isn't for the "faint of heart," I appreciate the military knowledge I gain, and the respect for our great country and the flag. I can no longer listen to or sing the National Anthem without choking back the tears in pride. Spending over a year in Udorn, Thailand, at the end of the Vietnam War where my first husband worked with the CIA, helped to cement the pride I feel to be an American. Never take it for granted.

As we near our country's Independence Day, I can't help but reflect on the current War on Terrorism. To date, over 1,700 men and women have died in Iraq. I pray for their speedy returns.