In light of it being National Police Week, we here at Homes for Heroes have spent the past few days reflecting on the bravery and courage of the men and women of our nation’s police force. We have been heartened by the many special tributes and moving features honoring the work of officers on various websites and blogs this week. I discovered this cool link yesterday posted in conjunction with National Peace Officers Memorial Day.  It features 29 vintage photos of police officers from the past 125 years, all nabbed from the archives of the Library of Congress. Much has changed over the last century and a quarter, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the dedication of America’s police officers.

Courtesy of Mental Floss: “29 Vintage Police Photos for Peace Officers Memorial Day”

Kudos to BLACKFIVE for unsurfacing this awesome vintage recruiting video circa the 1970s for the airborne forces of the U.S. Army. The funky soundtrack alone makes it well worth the watch!

Watch it here!

You may have noticed on your morning commute that flags were set at half-mast half-staff today. If you were curious as to the reason why, Homes for Heroes has your answer: May 15 is National Peace Officers Memorial Day. This day has been observed since 1962, when President Kennedy signed a bill from Congress designating May 15 as a national holiday celebrating peace officers. In 1994, President Clinton amended the bill by mandating that the flag be flown at half-staff on this date.

Yesterday, President Obama issued a statement recognizing this week as National Police Week (mentioned on our blog yesterday) and today as Peace Officers Memorial Day.

In his words: “This week, we pay tribute to the thousands of men and women who serve us with extraordinary bravery, and we remember the heroes who have laid down their lives in pursuit of a safer, more just society.”

Read more: “Peace Officers Memorial Day set”

I likely do not need to remind you that yesterday was Mother’s Day (and if I do, I advise you call your mother immediately!) That being said, this blogger was busy celebrating with his own mother, (catching a baseball game and going out for a bite to eat) and thus failed to update the blog or otherwise make mention of the date. In lieu of apologizing, I thought I’d write a better-late-than-never post on how important my mother is to me.

Ask my dad; there is no doubt that my mom wears the pants in the family. She is a strong woman and the glue that holds our family together. She is keenly aware of her role and often wonders aloud how unfortunate our lives would be without her.

She is tough to please, but only because she expects the best out of my sister and me. I’ve adopted her pursuit of excellence and perfectionism as traits of my own, for better or for worse. Most of what I do is still driven by my desire to please her and make her proud, and overall I believe this motivation has served me well. I owe so much to her for constantly pushing me and encouraging me when I was prepared to roll over and settle for mediocrity.

By now you may be under the impression that my mom is a tough cookie. I will not argue otherwise. However, I must stress how incredibly loving and kind-hearted she is as well. She has been so supportive of my sister and me over the years, taking it upon herself to be involved in every aspect of our lives, all while granting us the privacy and autonomy that kids crave while growing up. I know that she will always have our backs and that we can count on her for both words of encouragement or consolation depending on the circumstances.

There are so many other things I could say, but I will spare you any further details. Simply put, I am very grateful for my mom and love her very much. She is my hero!

In a larger context, Homes for Heroes would like to recognize all mothers for their love and dedication. Being a mother may not always be glamorous work, but it is heroic work all the same!

I found a link to this gem of a story. We here at Homes for Heroes believe in honoring heroes from all walks of life. This particular story reminded me once again of the enormous impact that an ordinary citizen can make through his/her own heroic efforts. Don Ritchie may not have been a professional soldier or policeman or fireman, but over the course of his life he saved the lives of 500 people! He passed away yesterday at age 85, but not before cementing his legacy as a compassionate guardian angel.

“Don Ritchie, Angel of The Gap- who helped save 500 people from suicide- dies at 85″

You may find the following exercise to be a bit silly and childish, but all the same I challenge you to close your eyes and spend a few moments imagining what your community might look like if not for the men and women in blue. In my case, I immediately think of the chaos and disarray that would overtake what now stands as a relatively quiet and safe suburban community. I imagine my peaceful town spiraling into anarchy, crime running amok, and vigilante justice ruling the streets. A freewheeling Wild West scenario may be fun to watch in the movies, but it certainly wouldn’t be any fun to live through.

You may consider my vision to be a tad exaggerated, but when you consider the scope and breadth of the work carried out by your local police force,  you begin to realize just how much they factor into the comfort and safety of our everyday lives.

Keep this in mind throughout the rest of the week. And if at any time this week you find yourself on the shoulder of the road awaiting a speeding ticket, make sure to be polite, because the officer that pulled you over is only doing his/her job and has already sacrificed so much in order that you might enjoy the comforts of a safe and orderly community. Homes for Heroes salutes the men and women of our nation’s police force!

Military Spouse Day falls on the Friday before Mother’s Day each year. It has been observed since 1984, when President Ronald Reagan called attention to the sacrifices that spouses of military members make and the fact that such sacrifices often do not receive the same notice or recognition.

Yesterday, first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, hosted a gathering at the White House to recognize both spouses and mothers of soldiers.

Today if you have the chance, thank a wife or husband of a soldier and remember the sacrifices they make in their lives everyday.

“Michelle Obama honors military mothers, wives”

Video: Project Moose- A Home for a Marine and his Family!

Visit Jeff Fellow’s Blog for more information.