The Definition of a Veteran:
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank
check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including their life."
To those veterans here with us today, you are extended the gratitude that can never be expressed enough or with enough appropriate words to honor you.
My heart breaks and of course my anger raises its head anytime I hear negative words from anyone regarding our military and my heart breaks that our children, unless they are military, have not an inkling of what the job takes and requires to be a part of the elite military services that stand watch to defend our nations against enemies that seek to destroy us.I truly believe God hand picks those that sign that blank check that pays the price of up to and including their lives to protect our nation’s liberties and to bring liberty and safety to others.
It is not a politician that is a worthy ambassador to other countries, it is the Soldier, Airman, Sailor, Marine, or Coastguardsman that reflects the face of the real and true America, its average population, and its strength and compassion.
It is, always has been and always will be America’s military men and women that with a weapon in one hand, desert dust on their faces and boots, days without baths and sleep, wading through the waste of war that will with the other hand reach out to save a child in another country, a dog or cat, give medical aide to an enemy, sleep with a wounded child on his lap, cover the body of a friend from incoming fire, and say to you and me, “I’d rather go to the enemy and fight them on their turf, than have my family fighting them at home.”
Just as our veterans and all those serving us today signed a blank check to each of us for an amount up to and including their lives,
We as the citizens of every community in our nation owe a signed check back to them for an amount up to and including our love, respect, support and honor to them for being willing to do what the rest of us can’t even imagine.
Our men and women return to us from foreign countries with both visible and invisible wounds that we as a community must provide everything we can to help them heal and to let them know they can walk in their communities with heads held high.
Dr. Edward Tick who has worked for over 30 years with veterans says this:
“The severity and extent to which veterans suffer with PTSD is in direct proportion to our culture’s willingness to Welcome Home and care for its Warriors.”
Today, is the day to begin seeking every way possible to help our veterans, our warriors, to heal from the wounds they carry even after a war has ended.
In other cultures, including our native American Indians, rituals of purification and storytelling in the communities have been a part of their warrior’s healing process.
Our culture must realize that we to must recognize our veterans as warriors that we have the duty to assist to help remove any stigmas and guilts.
We can blame war on governments and politicians, but never on our military men and women who, now, volunteer to stand the line for our way of life.
My friend Ben Stein has written that we can do without Hollywood, a bank on every corner, super athletes, and movie stars, but we can never exist without the real stars, our men and women of the United States Armed Forces who stand to take the bullets, the RPGs, and the IEDs for us.
Yes, I am proud to be the wife of a veteran and mom of a soldier who laid down the last measure.
I am part of the elite of this country, the ones part of the less than one percent of our national population that have served a purpose larger than themselves on behalf of millions in our country and the countries of others.
One such warrior is a young Marine who today, 4 years ago, was buried at Fort Sam Houston after his death in Iraq, Nov 2, 2006. Lance Corporal Luke Benjamin Holler who grew up here in Bulverde Texas left behind a legacy and a message that his parents and siblings live by: “Every man dies, but few men really live.”
Our veterans of all decades have truly lived in a realm higher than any others can possibly comprehend.
Another young warrior, US Army Sgt Patrick Tainsh, left a message for his parents in the event of his death:
“As for me it was an honor to experience freedom. It was an honor to fight and die with an American flag on my shoulder. Honor, that’s a big word and people don’t know what it means. It’s not something that happens right away. It’s something that builds up inside your soul.”
On this Veterans Day, 2010, I pray that each person here who is not a veteran will stand tall for the veterans. The time is now to bring our veterans together, Welcome them Home with the honor and dignity that they above all others deserve.
For they are the ones who signed the blank check for each of us that includes the payment of up to and including their lives.
God bless each of you, our military still fighting wars, and our great United States of America.
1 comment:
It's sad about your son. However, I think it may be karmic justice for the way your husband behaved and treated some of his Marines while on Active Duty. Hopefully he has changed and isn't a mean spirited, bitter person like he was when he was at Tustin.
Post a Comment