Air Force Major Recalls The Service, Stories and Sacrifice of Soldiers and Families

During a Veterans Day event at Oconee Hill Cemetery, Air Force Major Jerry Cushenberry paid tribute to most of his family.

His father, who retired from the Air Force and from UGA ROTC, influenced him to join the military. His mother, who kept the family together while they moved around the country and his father was gone on missions. And his own wife, who cares for their two young children and who has soldiered on alone while he has served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In one way or another, they have all had to sacrifice for their country, he said. And on Veterans Day, it's right to remember sacrifice, stories and service.

"People who wear the uniform carry on a great legacy," said Cushenberry, a native of Oconee County and graduate of Oconee County High School. 

He said that all veterans bring home experiences from their times of service. He wondered what their eyes have seen, their hands created, their mind recall? "We all have our battles and memories," he said. "And there are scars on the mind."

It's incumbent to teach children about Veterans Day, he said. And to tell them that freedom should be treasured.

The event was sponsored by the Friends of Oconee Hill Cemetery, a service and civic organization that works to preserve and enjoy the historic cemetery.