Remember The Fallen

For the past two generations and counting we have been known as a nation at war.  And it seems things will not change during this decade.  Some conflicts have been large scale mobilizations that have included active services, Ready Reserves and state National Guard troops.  While on the other hand there have been many more smaller operations that include guarding foreign Embassies, NATO peace keeping missions, humanity causes and special ops.  But nevertheless, we continue to send men and women into harm’s way to be the defenders of freedom and to protect a host of national interests around the world.     

According to a recent article in The American Legion magazine (May 2015), entitled “America At War,” by Alan W. Dowd, in which he provides a chronological view of U.S. military interventions and the prices paid since the Revolutionary War (1775-1783).  In his research of various sources including the Congressional Research Service (CRS), Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Department of Defense, Veterans Museum and Memorial Center, Smithsonian Institution and various media outlets, he noted that there have been 330 U.S. military interventions or “notable deployments of US Military forces overseas” since 1798.  From that list he takes a look at 26 conflicts in terms of vital statistics of the nation’s most consequential and/or costly military engagements.    

What is so striking from his research is that he looks at the costs of these conflicts in terms of the number of U.S. Military deaths, wounded, total serving during that conflict and what were the financial costs as it relates to the GDP (Gross National Product).  The raw data is unbelievable and eye opening and to somehow realize that war will continue to be a part of our daily lives for many more years to come.  There are no easy answers of how to prevent the next war or conflict, but every day we are reminded that we live in a world full of people who lives are touch and affected by the results of war.   

Of course this is not the whole picture about the “cost of war” and the ongoing impact upon families who lost fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts while they served in the military.  Let’s not forget those who became Prisoners Of War (POW) and those wounded and return physically and mentally disabled and who now need ongoing and long term medical care.  Let’s not forget about all those families whose quality of life have been altered, shattered and shorten due to military service.  And what about all those returning veterans who are unable to find and keep a job, living homeless, no place to go, unemployed, and who have limited access to quality health care. You cannot place a price tag and add those numbers up.  So, I say be thankful and kind to those who serve, “for freedom is not free.”   What do you think?