Hello Everyone!
My name is Cindy Bonds and I am writing to you from Clinton, Arkansas. I live here with my husband Garrett and my two kids, Conner and Kenzie, five dogs, two cats and surrounded by a herd of cows.
My day job consists of working in aviation. I work for Davidson Solid Rock Insurance and assist those with personal aircraft to obtain aviation insurance, amid other aviation related insurance needs.
As a daughter and grand-daughter of retired veterans, military purpose and responsibility was never far from home. I remember being quite proud of the fact my dad was over-seas during Operation Desert Storm. We grew up hearing stories about my grandfather and his cousin being in WW2, a mix of lighthearted stories as well as tough reminders of the casualties of war.
But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve heard more and more stories passed down from letters my father has kept about family members, first-hand accounts from men that were there and of course, the stories my dad and grandfather retold.
I hope this website can provide you with stories and pictures, memorabilia and education about the different generations of men and women that fought to keep our country safe and free. I want this website and the information to be something to pass down to my kids, so that they can know just how important our military is to our country. At a time like this, we need reminders of the sacrifices made to keep us a great nation.
If you join my email list, you’ll receive a list of Military Holidays and Birthdays for the year. You’ll be surprised how many there are and how little we observe besides the typical holidays that allow us time away from school and work. You can use the list to honor the men and women in your life that have served or are currently serving in every branch of the military.
As early as I can remember, my mom and dad attended the annual Naval Ball. Mom would get all dressed up, usually making something formal to wear for herself, as they left us either with our grandparents or alone as we got older. One year in high school, mom and dad decided I could join them for the formal function.
Dressing in my prom dress from the previous year, we stayed at a hotel and got dressed up, then headed to the ballroom. It was a large room, tables set up all along the outside of the area, with a dance floor in the middle and a bar off to the side.
As we go to get pictures made, my dad starts a conversation with a man dressed in ribbons and medals. Now, if you know my father, starting a conversation with another man or woman in the military isn’t uncommon. He’s a former history teacher and a history buff and enjoys learning new stories and trading a few of his own.
He motions for me and my mom to come over and introduces us to a smiling, older man. His name was Roy Boehm. Dad asks if we can get a picture, he smiles and says of course.
As we go and sit down, dad asks if I knew who that man was. Of course I didn’t. Learning that smiling, laughing man was the first SEAL, the man who helped to shape and form the current SEAL program, didn’t really make sense to me.
I’ve learned more and more about who Lt. Commander Roy Boehm was and have great respect for what he accomplished and what he helped to create. I only wish I had realized then that the man I was standing next to, taking a picture with, had accomplished so much and was the brains behind such an elite group of men.
