Honoring Dad
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” — Exodus 20:12
The greatest veteran I know is Lt. Col. Joseph W. Bailey, retired. So, in honoring my dad, I also honor him as a U.S. Army veteran.
To say that my dad loved the military doesn’t properly state his feelings. He went into the Army at the age of 17, with his father’s permission. He spent 12 years in the Army National Guard, and in 1969 he went full-time active duty in the Army, where he served until 1992. His total military service spanned over 35 years, but he never left the military.
He always talked about it and was always able to share his experiences with my younger brother Scott, who served, and his 2 sons, Bryant and Zachary (Zach), as they decided to follow my dad into the military. But only Bryant followed him completely by making a career as what I believe they call a “lifer.”
In November 2023, when I was preparing to depart Kentucky after more than 10 days hunting whitetail deer, I received a text from Dad’s wife, Julie, that he had been taken to the emergency room after a bad fall late the night before. By then, he was suffering from the cowardly disease Alzheimer’s. So, as I left Kentucky, I planned to drive straight to the care facility in Pensacola, Florida, that he now called home.
When I arrived, my younger brother, Scott, was already there. To my surprise, Dad was awake and talkative. It was hard to follow his conversation, but you could always pick up on when he was talking about the military. He passed away 1 week later.
It has been almost a year since his passing, and I sure miss our talks. There were times when I would call him when traveling for hunting trips and work, and we would talk for hours. Not about anything in particular, just stuff. It really helped pass the time.
You see, my dad was old school. You might say he was a man’s man. It was only later in life that he started telling you he loved you. But like most men of his era, he showed his love in a different way. Maybe not directly with words, but in my dad’s case still with words. It would come from conversation or interest in your life, whether it was sports — mostly Alabama football — work or your family.
Some people might think growing up with a military dad could be harsh. But I don’t think so. As we celebrate Thanksgiving this month, I’m very thankful for my dad. He raised 3 sons and made us into the men we are today. I think I can speak for all 3 of us that we’re very thankful for the raising he gave us.
As I enjoy the events of this month, my thoughts will turn to Dad on Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. I can only wonder what our conversations would be like when we discuss the Green New Deal, 100% renewable energy and electric vehicles. But I would bet good money it would turn to the military. He would probably say that you can’t win a war with electric vehicles, airplanes, helicopters, and tanks. That’s not a good military plan. And I would agree.
In closing, I’d like to thank all the military veterans who have served this great country. Without them protecting us and our freedoms, we have no country. This Thanksgiving holiday, if you have a hard time expressing your love toward your family and friends, please find a way to let them know. Thank you, Joe, for finding your way to let all of us know.