By Robert Johnson
Managing editor

A small bottle rocket exploded nearby, and a friend of mine jumped. Clearly, the sounds of pre-Fourth of July festivities bothered him —  a lot.

Since we are both veterans of combat zones, I was curious to know if the reaction came from serving overseas, and he confirmed that it was indeed from boots-on-the-ground time in Afghanistan.

His Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is mild by most cases, but it is PTSD nonetheless. Loud noises, certain sounds and most likely certain smells trigger a fight-or-flight reaction. On my patio, it was clearly a flight feeling — he wanted to move.

We have lots of veterans in the area, and many of them have some form of PTSD. Not all will get jumpy or have their blood pressure elevated at the first ladyfinger firecracker that pops, but enough will. For those who have never been in a combat zone and feel that jumping when a bottle rocket screeches through the air is a sign of weakness, let me assure you that it isn’t.

With the Fourth of July comes more than our fair share of personal fireworks, launched in backyards and in streets around the area. Perfectly legal — off the installation — but this year I am asking those firework fanatics to consider a few things before rushing out and lighting that packet of Black Cat crackers.

First, consider your audience. Not just those who are attending your personal display of explosions, but also those within an immediate area. If you want to celebrate our freedoms, maybe having a little courtesy for those who defended those freedoms is in order this year.

Second, as a father of a firefighter, I am reminded that at this time of year, the No. 1 call for fires are those started by fireworks. Injuries, fires and even death are all possible with the improper handling of fireworks. In 2006, 11 people in the U.S. were killed by personal fireworks, and more than 9,200 required immediate medical attention, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Third, consider the recent weather we have been having. Unless your house has a magical cloud ready to perform rain on request, it’s pretty dry out there. Now think of Colorado. Sure, the fires there were started by lightning, but why tempt fate? One errant bottle rocket could start a blaze that could quickly increase in size, and the last time I checked, most firefighters would prefer not to be battling forest and grass fires in summer heat.

If you are longing for fireworks, check out the Soldier Show and fireworks display on Gammon Field, today. No amount of personal fireworks launched in your backyard can compare to the beauty, splendor and safety of the Fort Leonard Wood show. The fun on Gammon Field starts at 3 p.m. and continues until the grand finale of fireworks. The first rocket’s red glare will be between 9  and 9:30 p.m.

I’m not sure if my friend will take in any fireworks shows, and really, that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that this holiday, I will respect the sacrifice he has made for this nation and limit the explosions at my house to microwave popcorn.

Happy Fourth of July, and remember our veterans this year.