Many of you reading this have, like me, already sent in your absentee ballot weeks ago. But there are some of you who are registered to vote in the state in which you are currently stationed. This post is for you.
You’ve probably already heard it said a million times this year – but just in case you didn’t, I’m going to say it one more time: voting is the most important thing you can do, and not because it's your civic duty, but because you are a military family member.
And here’s why: the decisions our elected officials make impact the lives of every American, but they impact the lives of military family members more. From benefits to deployments to if our spouses even get paid at all, it is no exaggeration to say that these folks hold our lives in their hands. When you take a bite of that pot roast tonight, you can thank Rep. XYZ for the money you had to buy it.
So don’t you want to weigh in on who is making these decisions? Voting is your chance to do that. “Do your civic duty” is a flat encouragement when it comes to military families – we are already doing it and then some. So don’t do it because it’s your civic duty. Do it for selfish reasons. Do it because, in the end, it gives you a chance at having some very small amount of control over who calls the shots on your fate – whether that be the president, a senator, congressman or anyone else.
Now go get that “I voted” sticker.
