Grandpa salutes his granddaughter. Former Marine to present. Love these traditions!

For many American families, serving in the military is something that gets passed down from generation to generation. In some instances, the younger generation surpasses the older one in rank, resulting in touching and incredibly impactful moments. Many are caught on video, including this 2013 interaction between Staff Sgt. James Williams and his granddaughter, 2nd Lt. Charlotte Williams, which recently went viral.User dtb1987 shared a poignant moment he had with his brother, writing, “My brother going to Iraq was one of the only times we hugged. We have a turbulent relationship but nothing makes you put it all aside like the possibility that your family member isn’t coming back.”

“As a sergeant, I joked I would make my grandpa do push ups because he finished WW2 as a private first class,” wrote user Lou_Polish. “Before I left for Iraq he shook my hand and said, ‘I hope you make it back.’”

The reaction was similar on TikTok, with one user commenting, “I cannot imagine the pride this man feels,” and another writing, “The way you can just feel the pride emanating off of him.”