Patrick Hynes is blogging the tour.  Read all of the posts, starting with this one.

Military families are different from civilian families, and multi-generation military families are extraordinary in ways difficult to comprehend.  I married into one, and as a civilian still find myself marveling at the sacrifices involved.  My wife's borther, George Philip, is an Annapolis grad and retired after a 20 year career as a Marine Corps officer.  Her dad, Col. Wilbur Helmer, retired as a colonel in the USMC,and fought in some of the toughest battles of the Pacific War.  Her grandfather and great grandfather were Annapolis men and admirals.  Her uncle, then-Ensign Joseph Taussig, left his leg on the Nevada.  Her mom's first husband, Commander George Philip, went down with his ship at Okinawa.  His cousin, John Waldron, led a famed torpedo bomber attack at the Battle of Midway.

All of which is to say that they are different from you and I, and that difference should be honored by civilians again and again.