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When he enlisted, the U.S. Marine Corps was conducting operations in Beirut, Lebanon, and Grenada. \u201cI did not personally go to those two conflicts, but I had many friends that I knew who did. Those conflicts ended in 1983, and it seemed like after that, the U.S. just went from one conflict to the next. I participated in combat operations in Kuwait and Iraq. I\u2019ve served in overseas contingency operations in the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Cuba, the Philippines, and Egypt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Boleyn continued, \u201cI absolutely loved every minute of it. For 33 years, I got to be a part of the greatest military force that this world has ever known. I wouldn\u2019t trade one minute, good times or bad, for that experience. I believe every young man in this country should get the opportunity to serve something bigger than [himself ]. I have stood on every continent except Antarctica. I have literally traveled the world during my 33 years of service. I\u2019ve crossed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and crossed almost every sea on board ships. I\u2019ve been above the Arctic Circle, across the equator, and across the international date line. I\u2019ve been in the desert, the jungle, and the Arctic mountains, and have flown around the world. It would probably be easier to name the countries and places I haven\u2019t seen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout his years of service, Boleyn\u2019s love of the military never wavered. The patriotism instilled in him as a boy who idolized his father, his uncles, and many others shaped the man who faced \u2014 and overcame \u2014 countless challenges. These strengthened his dedication to our country and encouraged him to lend a helping hand to his fellow \u201cbrothers.\u201d Today, he continues this dedication as the commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPatriotism is the knowledge of the origin of this unique American experiment in governance. It is the responsibility of each of us to understand how we came to be as a nation and what we must do to protect it. Patriotism is the honest, God-fearing application of our natural rights within our own communities. We take care of our families and our neighbors. We give our time to worthy causes. We don\u2019t rely on distant politicians to solve our problems locally. When we get back to those basic principles, we will begin to solve all of the temporary problems that we face.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though he has traveled the world, tasted international cuisine, heard remote dialects, and met people from locations across the globe, his allegiance has always been to the United States of America. We are his comrades. We were worth his sacrifice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI learned this country is worth sacrificing for. I\u2019ve seen with my own eyes how people live in other countries, and I can tell you [I\u2019m] 100% sure that we have it made in the United States of America. The privileges that we enjoy come with a cost, and young Americans have to be willing to stand up and defend this nation to ensure the continuation of this thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boleyn has been married to his wife, Tara, for 31 years, and they have two daughters, Caitlin and Chelsea. Bedford County has been \u201chome\u201d for the last 26 years. \u201cTara is my rock. She is the one who kept our family together and handled absolutely everything when I was gone. She\u2019s probably the toughest human being I\u2019ve ever known, and I know a lot of tough humans. To say I\u2019m proud of all three of them would be an understatement. I\u2019m humbled that God put them in my life, and I couldn\u2019t be more inspired by anyone else. They are truly the most important people in my life, and I\u2019m grateful for them. They sacrificed more than I ever did and kept everything going when I was away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To those considering enlisting in the military, Boleyn said, \u201cBe proud of our country and do not be ashamed to tell people why you are. Actions speak louder than words \u2014 put your skin in the game and give something back for all that we have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boleyn encourages everyone to become acquainted with our local veterans. \u201cBe a part of patriotic events. Talk to your kids at the dinner table and remind them of all those who have given their lives for this country,\u201d Boleyn said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, Tommie Boleyn\u2019s story reminds us that the strength of our nation has always rested on ordinary Americans who choose to serve with extraordinary devotion. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" OKINAWA, JAPAN; Korea; the Philippines; Thailand; Australia; Singapore; Hong Kong; Saudi Arabia; the United Arab Emirates; Qatar; Kuwait; Iraq; Kosovo; Cuba; Greece; Italy; Spain; France; Germany; Norway; Scotland; Israel; Crete; Egypt; and Somalia. This isn\u2019t a listing for a popular travel guide. These are the places Tommie Boleyn was deployed to from 1983 to 1996 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":25309,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[75,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25306","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-shelbyville","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/shelbyville\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/07\/3-1024x683.jpg\")
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