Military Moms, Dads & Family Members- Jan Zabel
By Trish Jackson
 
Jan Zabel has always enthusiastically supported the people she cares about.  As a teenager, Jan didn’t just buy all of Pat Boone’s records. She became president of his London fan club, and even managed to get walk-on roles in two of his movies. These days Jan devotes her considerable energy to supporting the military family she’s been a part of her entire life. Jan’s parents were in the British armed forces, her husband Louis retired from the Air Force and now her sons Kendal and Aaron serve in the Army and Navy, respectively.   
 
Although Jan already belongs to a number of military support organizations, she was thrilled to find Blue Star Families, a group that embraces “the siblings, the dads, the sisters, brothers, children, aunties and uncles, nanas and granddads, the whole military family,” she said.
Her goal as Parent Coordinator for Blue Star Families is to help family members connect and adjust to the military way of life by sharing tools and information.
Even with all of her experience, Jan says there is always more for her to learn.
 
“Do the kids tell you anything...never!” Jan said. “You get calls when they need stuff, and when you have to come up with every place they ever lived, every school they went to and neighbors to do checks with- and they need it STAT! But does anyone tell parents they can join Family Readiness Groups? Or meet their kids’ recruiters?”
 
“I still have a million questions,” admits Jan. “The military is changing daily and I am still learning. But parents bring a lot of knowledge to the table and we need to come together to help each other. They're our kids out there on the front line. That’s my motivation.”
And, yes, Jan is still a big Pat Boone fan.  “Pat is a great supporter of the National Guard!” she said.

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