The following video from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs honors our veterans and promotes an understanding that Veterans Day is really every day.
In my daily activities I meet many military veterans. We have many, many, veterans from generations past and present. They have many perspectives to share. They have many stories. They do not all enter military service with the same purpose. Yet they all serve the country and its people. US veterans also have served and continue to serve people from other countries as well.
One veteran shared with me the sacrifices made by our military pilots. He shared that he was disabled by his many flights that involved forces on his body of 5 Gs or more. I never thought of the destructive power of this upon the skeletal system of a pilot.
What amazed me even more was this man's attitude. He expressed no regrets. He harbors no feeling of being mistreated. I have heard many stories of mistreatment of veterans, but this man counts himself to be very well treated. He says that he would do it all again.
I recently spoke with another veteran, whose son is now serving in Afghanistan. The father served in Desert Storm. The son serves in whatever the current "storm" is. I asked whether he believed in the necessity of what is being done. He shared that he did when he was in active service, but now he does not. Like father like son, for his son believes in the cause of what is being done. He seeks and finds roadside bombs and ignites them. I wonder what he will think in twenty years.
One thing is beyond question, our veterans put themselves at risk and make tremendous sacrifices. We most certainly should honor this and them. Moreover, we should consider what form such honor should take. Are statues and memorials the way in which true honor is given? What sort of memorial truly honors the service and sacrifices made by our military veterans?
I believe that honoring the Constitution that they swear to uphold and defend is the best and truest memorial. How many Americans have even read the US Constitution? How many Americans take into account that which the Constitution promotes and guarantees when determining for whom they will cast their vote? What good is served by the sacrifices of our military veterans if we do not keep the Constitution safe here at home? If the power and authority of the Constitution is violated and usurped here at home, for what do our military veterans end up fighting and sacrificing?
Is this not worthy of consideration? Is this not worthy of memorializing?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment