Veterans' Day Thoughts
Today is always a special day in my heart, having so many members of my family and friends who have served this country unflinchingly in times of war, some of them "good" or "worthy" some otherwise. These fine men and women generally have forsaken the prime years of their youth to serve and sometimes fight, kill or die for the things that most of us as modern Americans take for granted daily. When I reflect on my grandfather's service in WWII, I cannot help but contrast his decision with those of my friends in the service now and their ultimate similarity.
For a man my grandfather's age at the onset of America's involvement in WWII, he was more than expected to do one thing with his youth, join the service, train to fight, see death and war on a personal level and most likely kill. It was compulsory for men of that era to do so, there was no real alternative. So he did just that, became a decorated Marine officer and managed, when war was over, to return to his home and his family. To this day he will not eat at a Japanese restaurant, not out of racism in the least, but because it would simply dredge up the horrors of war he had to confront. He harbors no hatred for the Japanese as a people, instead a silent respect, an admiration of sorts, and from what he's told me even a bit of guilt and regret.
For friends like my dearly departed Brian Kennedy, who had enlisted before September 11th and did not necessarily see war on the horizon, it was not expected of him, nor encouraged, and no where near compulsory to enlist, train to fight, and most likely kill. He came from a educated, affluent family and a wealth of opportunity. He could have taken many paths other than service. I'll never know his exact reasons for enlisting after High School, but he would have been a success in any pursuit. He chose to be Marine. He was killed in Iraq in the first wave of troops during a firefight in 2003. It was his choice to serve a higher cause than pursuit of wealth, happiness, and the things we all strive for after High School. He gave his life for his country. No greater sacrifice can be made.
As we remember all our Veterans today, the fallen or the ones who come home wounded, crippled either physically or mentally; remember they did this so WE wouldn't have to. They saw unspeakable violence and looked into the face of death so WE wouldn't have to. They experienced hell on Earth, the horrors of war, man's own inhumanity to man. The worst things imaginable and otherwise. All so we could rest at night without the nightmares that they surely saw made real.
Thank you Veterans. You make us all proud.
For a man my grandfather's age at the onset of America's involvement in WWII, he was more than expected to do one thing with his youth, join the service, train to fight, see death and war on a personal level and most likely kill. It was compulsory for men of that era to do so, there was no real alternative. So he did just that, became a decorated Marine officer and managed, when war was over, to return to his home and his family. To this day he will not eat at a Japanese restaurant, not out of racism in the least, but because it would simply dredge up the horrors of war he had to confront. He harbors no hatred for the Japanese as a people, instead a silent respect, an admiration of sorts, and from what he's told me even a bit of guilt and regret.
For friends like my dearly departed Brian Kennedy, who had enlisted before September 11th and did not necessarily see war on the horizon, it was not expected of him, nor encouraged, and no where near compulsory to enlist, train to fight, and most likely kill. He came from a educated, affluent family and a wealth of opportunity. He could have taken many paths other than service. I'll never know his exact reasons for enlisting after High School, but he would have been a success in any pursuit. He chose to be Marine. He was killed in Iraq in the first wave of troops during a firefight in 2003. It was his choice to serve a higher cause than pursuit of wealth, happiness, and the things we all strive for after High School. He gave his life for his country. No greater sacrifice can be made.
As we remember all our Veterans today, the fallen or the ones who come home wounded, crippled either physically or mentally; remember they did this so WE wouldn't have to. They saw unspeakable violence and looked into the face of death so WE wouldn't have to. They experienced hell on Earth, the horrors of war, man's own inhumanity to man. The worst things imaginable and otherwise. All so we could rest at night without the nightmares that they surely saw made real.
Thank you Veterans. You make us all proud.