Assembling this inaugural Toledo Free Press Military Yearbook has been a humbling experience. Talking about service, dedication and sacrifice is easy; working with the men and women who live those ideals inspires gratitude and humility.
There are an estimated 80,000 veterans in the eight-county area served by our regional Veterans Affairs offices. Add to that the number of active military members and guardsmen and you have more people to thank than you will ever be able to reach one at a time. In these pages, you will see scores of faces of local men and women who proudly wear the uniform of the United States military. You will see photos of servicemen and servicewomen in faraway deserts, a world removed from their family and civilian lives. We pray for the safe return of each and every one of them.
The stories in this issue — the brainchild of Toledo Free Press media writer Jeremy Baumhower and the product of Toledo Free Press Special Sections Editor Sarah Ottney — offer a glimpse into the services offered to our active military members and our veterans, from several groups run by people who believe in their work with the same righteousness and generosity as the people they serve.
We greatly appreciate the people who shared stories, sent in photos and bared their souls to impart their wisdom. We thank the advertisers who supported this issue, and especially the specific sponsors — Clear Channel, Columbia Gas of Ohio, the Greater Toledo Chapter of the American Red Cross, Honor Flight of Northwest Ohio and the Veterans Center. Each of these groups made time and brainpower investments that helped us plan this special coverage.
At a time when free speech and First Amendment rights are under legal attack, we at Toledo Free Press are specifically aware what it means to stand against oppression in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
On the verge of our country’s July 4 birthday, we stop to reflect on our freedoms, liberties and the countless lives cut short so that we may carry on.
We stop to think about the families without fathers and sons, without mothers and daughters. We stop to think about the bodies without limbs and minds without peace. We stop to think about the men and women who enjoyed the greatest reunions and those who suffered through the ultimate loss. We think about Austin Pounds, pictured on this week’s cover, and the very real investment in freedom he represents.
This issue is our modest effort at saying thank you.
Thank you for your service, your dedication and your sacrifice.
Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.
Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him at mmiller@toledofreepress.com.
