September is Military Families Month in Queen Creek & San Tan Valley

Twenty years ago, when my oldest son enlisted and deployed to a war zone in Iraq, I became part of a world I didn't fully understand until I was living it. There was tremendous pride, but also the waiting, worrying, and wondering that military families know so well. I wanted to find other families who understood, and I wanted our service members far from home to know they are never forgotten. That was the beginning of Military Moms in Queen Creek and San Tan Valley. This Wednesday, September 16 at 6 p.m., that journey comes full circle as the Towns of San Tan Valley and Queen Creek recognize September as Military Families Month. I invite our military families, veterans, service members, friends, and neighbors to join me for a moment that feels especially meaningful as Military Moms in QC / STV marks its 20th anniversary. And who knew that after all this time, both of my sons would enlist and are now veterans, and that my daughter-in-law would serve as well? What began with one son's journey became an even deeper part of our family's story. Loss in service is never limited to war zones. The men and women of our Armed Forces accept tremendous responsibilities every day, risking their lives at home and abroad, wherever duty takes them. Their families serve beside them in their own way, through deployments, separations, uncertainty, and the many sacrifices that come with military life. I would like to publicly thank the Town Councils of San Tan Valley and Queen Creek for recognizing and honoring these families. Military service asks something of the entire family, and acknowledging that sacrifice matters. Freedom is never something we should take for granted. For generations, from 1774 to the present day, brave Americans have stepped forward in the fight for freedom and given all to defend our Constitution, our way of life, and our country. That responsibility continues today. Without our brave men and women who serve, we would not be the Land of the Free. In political times when some forget the true cost of freedom, or try to minimize it, or try to say terrorism isn’t terrorism, our military families carry that burden every day. It isn’t something we can simply turn off and walk away from. It lives in the heart, the soul, the spirit 24/7. We should remember those who served before us, honor those standing watch today, and stand beside the families waiting at home. We should remember, too, the families who have lost loved ones and carry their sacrifice with them every day. Because it is the right thing to do... we can’t have freedom without our military families. So, as America celebrates 250 years of independence, I can't think of a more meaningful time to honor those who have helped protect it and the families who have stood beside them. In honor and memory of Gary Lee Crosby, USAF, 1976