We get so many submissions for Troop Salutes from parents, spouses, siblings, and children of our service men and women. We all understand the toll and sacrifice that service and deployment has on these relationships. The strain on a marriage, or separation from a parent for service is one of the oldest ideas associated with the profession of soldier or sailor. But we cannot forget the strain on friendships. People become close, only to move around the country or the world and turn that regular companionship into a long-distance connection. Today we salute Alicia Garofolo of the United States Navy. Alicia’s best friend Christopher Boivin wrote in to remind me just how much it hurts when a friend has to relocate for service. “Alicia has been stationed here for a few years. She is shipping off to Hawaii soon to complete her service in the Navy, and that really sucks because I won’t get to see her much.” Christopher said. “But our friendship is really important, and so is her job. We’ve grown really close, and I wouldn’t change that for the world.” Stories like this play out all over the country. But Sailors like Alicia make all of these sacrifices in order to continue our American way of life. And that is why today we salute Alicia Garofolo of the United States Navy.