In my 5 years of service, I have been thanked countless times, and each time I respond with a “thank you for your support”. This last time I was thanked, something different happened... I started to wonder if I, myself, was actually thankful for my service.  Over the last few years, I have started to dream of the day I would leave the military behind and all of the sacrifices that it has required of me.

If I was so excited to leave everything behind, did that mean I was not thankful for my service? That was the question that haunted me.