I am a 24-year-old Navy wife and a Navy daughter-in-law.I marched on Saturday to support the love and pride that I feel for both my husband and his father both deployed right now.

I marched to show all the troops that this country still believes in them. I marched to show those “peace” protesters that this is how you support the troops. The peace people wave signs that say “NO IRAQ WAR” or wave flags that say “Support our troops send them home now!” I think they need to spend a day in the life of any troops family and they will see this war situation through different eyes.

I don’t want war but I’ve learned a lesson from being a military wife. I know that my husband and my father-in-law will be out protecting our freedom regardless if we go to war with Iraq. Those peace protesters don’t understand that our sailors, Marines, soldiers, Air Force and Coast Guard troops are out there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There’s always some family without a loved one in their arms and those families are never angry … they’re proud. They’re proud of the person they love, proud of who they are and what they are doing for our country.

Before Sept 11 and even before Desert Storm troops were deployed from all over the country and their only purpose was to protect all of America’s rights and make sure that we will always have our freedom. I understand people don’t want us to go to war and they are entitled to their opinion but it angers me when they think they are supporting the military by doing it. To support the military you need to support whatever happens…pray for all the families without there loved ones, pray for the safe return of all deployed personal.

I think the biggest lesson people need to learn is that to support America you first need to understand how it feels to be a troop or a troop’s family … the pain you feel when that loved one isn’t here to see things and the pride you feel when you know that he/she is gone for a great reason. I feel great pride in knowing that two of the most important men in my life our protecting no only myself but all of America.

That is why I marched on Saturday holding a sign that said, “Thank You … proud to be an American,” and that is why I will continue to march and support not only my close family members but all of the military community because in a way we are all family.

Denise M Williams

VP 46 spouse

Oak Harbor