NEW AMERICAN TRUTH: November 2007

Citizens of Liberty: Honoring Veterans Personally
Jeff Houghton

This month, on the 11th, we celebrate Veteran’s Day. This day is tied to Germany signing the Armistice ending World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. The holiday was originally called Armistice Day until 1953, when the name was changed to Veterans’ Day.

So what, exactly, are we celebrating on Veterans’ Day? We are celebrating the spirit of those individuals who gave a portion of their lives for an idea, a concept, a grand social experiment called America. These men and women so valued their liberty that they would defend it at any, and sometimes the ultimate, cost. While it technically honors military personnel back to World War I, I would argue that this spirit goes back all the way to 1776. It is a day to celebrate freedom, liberty, and to loudly, boldly, and proudly say ‘Thank You!’

While we certainly honor the spirit and memory of those who served our country from its founding to today, we also honor those who are currently serving. The number of troops that are actually in harm’s way, that have to lay their lives on the line, has varied depending on the enemies we have faced or engaged over the years. But even in times of relative peace and stability, the mere fact that evil exists in the world means that any peace and stability can be shattered in a moment. We have seen this in various times throughout our history, most recently on September 11, 2001. The men and women that don the uniform of our country realize this is a possibility, even in times of relative peace. Although I have not done the numerical analysis, I am probably not far off the mark in stating that we are at one of the highest percentages of military personnel to ever see duty in a hazardous environment. Multiple tours in Iraq and/or Afghanistan among our active, reserve, and National Guard units points to this conclusion.

We are concerned about keeping our country safe and secure, and have sent troops to a foreign land to significantly further that objective. They are doing incredible work for us, and we are grateful for it. The question I want to pose to those currently serving is “What can we do for you while you are away?”

In my conversations with current and former military, I have found that they really don’t want much, although a few key themes do keep recurring:
• Don’t forget about us.
• Support us regardless of your personal position on our mission.
• Welcome us back with a smile, a handshake, and an opportunity to earn a living.
• Watch out for my spouse and kids.

That is about all they ask us, the average citizen, for while they are deployed. Can we meet their request? Will it be difficult? Should we attempt to do these things for them? These are great questions to think through, so let’s examine each question in light of these requests, and perhaps determine what our role should be as citizens.

Request #1. Don’t forget about us. Can we do this? Absolutely! Will it be difficult? No, not really. Think of all the ways to let the troops know we are thinking of them: emails, letters, care packages, etc. They take a little time, but are not really difficult. As I type this I am personally convicted that I have not made this the priority that I should. What about you?

Request #2. Support us regardless of your personal position on our mission. Can we do this? Yes! Although it may be harder for some than others. Will it be difficult? It should not be, but some will find it rather challenging. This particular request requires us to engage our brain before opening our mouth. We have to realize that our military does not choose when and where to deploy – they are guided by those in charge of our federal government. If you don’t agree with the mission, then address those concerns to the President and your elected representative in the House and Senate.

Unfortunately, sometimes even those who are in vocations that require them to speak carefully do not engage the brain before opening the mouth. These folks have such a strong aversion to the current mission that instead of directing their ire at those who define the mission, they accuse our military personnel of various and assorted atrocities. And even when the military personnel are cleared of any wrongdoing, they are not man or women enough to even offer an apology. Personally, I am offended by the accusation and lack of insight from someone who should have known better. And I am even more offended when this same person, claiming to be a statesman, refuses to apologize for his groundless and, in my opinion, treasonous, verbal attack.

How might a citizen support the troops? There are many ways to do so. For starters, we can hold our elected officials accountable to provide everything our military needs for a decisive victory: a clearly defined mission, clear rules of engagement that allow them to protect themselves, sufficient amounts of supplies to complete the mission, sufficient training to prepare them as fully as possible.

We can also hold others accountable when they say and/or do things that are detrimental to our troops. It really doesn’t matter who they are – politician, opinion columnist in the local paper, another citizen in a local restaurant – we need to speak up and support our troops.

Request #3. Welcome us back with a smile, a handshake, and an opportunity to earn a living. Can we do this? Some of have a greater ability than others to do this, but we can all make an impact. Will it be difficult? It will be more difficult than the first two. This one is tightly correlated to the last one, with one distinct difference. Welcoming back with a smile and a handshake is the final step of supporting our troops, of thanking them for doing a difficult job and doing it well.

The phrase “opportunity to earn a living” really encompasses many things. We need to use our network of contacts to help them find employment, or perhaps employ them ourselves. We need to make sure the living environment and business environment is suitable for creating and sustaining new jobs. You can do your own research on what factors create such an environment, but a few key ones are low crime, low taxes, and low government restrictions and regulations (limited bureaucracy). This is where you and I, assuming we don’t own a business, can make an impact on this request. We have to get out and vote because these things matter.

Request #4. Watch out for my spouse and kids. Can we do it? Absolutely! Will it be difficult? Depends on several factors, including how many citizens are actually involved in trying to fulfill this request. The more folks involved, the less of a burden it will be.

What could this request mean? It could encompass several things. It could just mean to help them if their car breaks down or the toilet backs up. It might mean taking their kids with you to the gym or the water park. Perhaps you could mow their lawn for them or shovel the snow out of their driveway.

I think there is another meaning, a more intense meaning, and one that I have heard verbalized a couple of different times. Paraphrasing, it goes like this “While I am away protecting the country from those who want to harm her, please protect my spouse and children from those who want to harm them.”

This meaning is more challenging for each of us. Our local and state law enforcement, despite their overall excellence, can NOT be everywhere at all times. Couple this fact with a foreign enemy that has no hesitation to use terrorist tactics, and with a border that our politicians are unwilling to close, and you can see why those deploying are asking us to protect their families.

The cost of liberty is constant vigilance, always on the alert for those people, foreign and domestic, who desire to take it away from us. Some seek to remove our liberty all at once, and some seek to take it slowly, piece by piece. We have to shoulder additional responsibility for this vigilance while our neighbors are deployed. We have to be more observant, more curious, and more intentional about our personal safety and that of our family, our neighbors, and our community.

These are the few things our military asks of us while they are deployed. As Veteran’s Day approaches, ask yourself this question: “Considering the sacrifice of our Veterans, past and present, isn’t honoring these four simple requests the least I could do for them?” I think so, and I believe many of you reading this agree with me.

One final thought for this month. While you are pondering this question in your mind, consider this: Ultimately, in the long run, doing these four things helps us all.