CANAL WINCHESTER, OH (WCMH) — For Marshell and John Crabtree, serving their country is not only a duty, but it’s also what brought the couple together.

“I came from a very small little town and wanted to get out and see the world and so I joined the Navy,” said Marshell Crabtree.

Marshell said she was in the military during Desert Storm. She spent nine of her 20 years of service on aircraft carriers.

“When I was on the ships is when I met my husband,” Marshell said.

Her husband  is a Navy veteran as well.

“We did meet in 2000,” said John Crabtree. “We met on the USS George Washington an aircraft carrier and we’ve been together ever since.”

Six years after the couple met John was injured. His wife said it changed their lives.

“It was a Sunday morning and the EOD team I was with, Nick Wilson was with me, he was killed by an improvised explosive device that was buried and as it detonated it killed him and blinded me,” John said. “I was permanently disabled from it, had other wounds to my face but I’ve recovered pretty well and a ruptured ear drum. It’s been a challenge.”

John said the diving he did in the Navy has helped him with his disability.

“A lot of the dives I wasn’t able to see two inches in front of my face and still I had a job to do.”

John said Veterans Day is important.

“It’s only important when people see who the veterans are,” John said. “That’s the one thing that I like is the community recognizes and notice who the veterans are and it takes more than that to really understand maybe conversing or talking with veterans.”

As John wore the exact shirt he was wounded in – I asked what gives him such strength.

“I just think we’re all privileged and blessed to be born American.”