Memorial

Perhaps it is my personal background, but I never knew anyone in the Armed Forces growing up. My first contact with those who had been in the military was as an undergraduate when I volunteered at the local Veterans' Administration. Medical school and residency were my true introductions to those brave men and women who served this country. It gave me a window into the intense experiences they had, how their service forms their identity, and the physical and emotional burdens they carry. The psychiatric and medical accouterments they carry, they carry for life.

Image of Arlington National Cemetery is in the public domain, from Wikipedia.