I grew up in a VERY small town. Actually, there were only about sixty residents. We had a small country store where we got our mail and some groceries. My family struggled just to pay the rent and put food on the table. Education was not a priority, and college was never an option. Life was about work, worry, and day-to-day survival.
I wanted a different life. So, when a recruiter came to my high school to talk about the benefits of joining the military, it seemed like a good choice for me.
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Here I am in my dress blues and fatigues.
The picture are pretty faded, but they were taken in 1974! In the bottom pic, I'm the short one on the left.
The very next day, I walked from school to the recruitment office and took the written exam. My highest scores were in communication so I was told that I could choose either journalism or communications as my specialty. My first choice was journalism, but there was an eighteen month wait for an opening. Communications had an opening in just a few months. I wanted to get started before I changed my mind so I enlisted as a communications specialist.
Basic training was tough, but I was determined to stick with it. I loved being in the Air Force. I met people from all over the country, flew on air planes, visited big cities, and life felt like an adventure!
The only downside was that I worked a crazy schedule with long hours and had very few days off. When my son was born my priorities changed, and my husband and I decided not to reenlist.
I am very grateful for my time in the Air Force because it opened up many opportunities for me. My VA benefits helped me to go to college, buy our first house, and provided medical benefits. Most importantly, it was a pathway out of poverty.
I'm proud of being a veteran, and I'm especially proud to have my poem "Dear Veteran" included in THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY FOR CELEBRATIONS compiled by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong. My inspiration for the poem didn't come from my own experience as much as it came from the men and women who risked their lives for our freedom. Every year, as a community service project, my students write thank you notes to our veterans. I wanted to do the same in the form of a poem. Veterans (along with the men and women currently serving) are our true heroes!
Veterans, this poem is for you!
Basic training was tough, but I was determined to stick with it. I loved being in the Air Force. I met people from all over the country, flew on air planes, visited big cities, and life felt like an adventure!
The only downside was that I worked a crazy schedule with long hours and had very few days off. When my son was born my priorities changed, and my husband and I decided not to reenlist.
I am very grateful for my time in the Air Force because it opened up many opportunities for me. My VA benefits helped me to go to college, buy our first house, and provided medical benefits. Most importantly, it was a pathway out of poverty.
I'm proud of being a veteran, and I'm especially proud to have my poem "Dear Veteran" included in THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY FOR CELEBRATIONS compiled by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong. My inspiration for the poem didn't come from my own experience as much as it came from the men and women who risked their lives for our freedom. Every year, as a community service project, my students write thank you notes to our veterans. I wanted to do the same in the form of a poem. Veterans (along with the men and women currently serving) are our true heroes!
Veterans, this poem is for you!
You fought
for our freedom. You kept our country safe.
Today we proudly honor you,
Hero.
for our freedom. You kept our country safe.
Today we proudly honor you,
Hero.
-Linda Kulp Trout, all rights reserved
The poem is a cinquain, but I couldn't get the format to work. : )
The poem is a cinquain, but I couldn't get the format to work. : )
Hi, Linda, thank you for sharing your story AND your poem. I'm so glad we have your poem, "Dear Veteran," in our anthology and that it is written BY a veteran too. Thank YOU for your service to our country. You're a hero AND a poet!
ReplyDeleteThank you for choosing my poem for the anthology. I'm very honored!
DeleteI am so glad to have learned this about you, Linda. Thank you for your thoughtful post and these wise words of honor. We celebrate you today. xo
ReplyDeleteAmy- you are so sweet. Thank you, my friend!
DeleteCongratulations on being a Veteran! As a nursing editor, I got to attend conferences, meeting nurses from all over the country. The ones who impressed me most were the female military nurses. As self-confident as all nurses struck me, there was a palpable difference in confident, self-respectful demeanor between military and non-military nurses. Although you were not a military nurse, I suspect that you learned to carry yourself as a bright, self-assured, determined woman, thanks to the Air Force! God bless you! I am so happy for you that military service served you as you, in turn, served the country. What a past to proudly claim and boast of! Thank you for sharing this part of who you are. Next Veterans Day, I surely will be saluting you. PEACE! And thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the beautiful poem and for your story and service, Linda. I lost my father in World War II, had a wonderful stepfather & other relatives who fought in that war also, & on down the line of, sadly, the more recent conflicts. Your poem says what we all feel, to honor those who keep us safe.
ReplyDeleteWow! Thank YOU, Linda, for your service to our country and for sharing such an important poem about the importance of our Veteran (S)Heroes. =)
ReplyDeleteLinda, how interesting your backstory is. Your pride is a veteran shows in your poem. Thank you for sharing this. Congratulations on having your poem published in Janet and Sylvia's anthology.
ReplyDeleteLinda, thanks so much for sharing this piece of yourself. Thank you for your service and thank you for your poetry.
ReplyDeleteGood for you! I thought it was interesting that you picked communications so you could start before you changed your mind :-) Thank you for your service!
ReplyDelete