For
a lot of people Memorial Day is often confused with Veterans Day in terms of
importance and meaning. As a grateful
nation we take out considerable time each year to honor those who have served
or are currently serving in one of the five branches of the military. Memorial
Day (last Monday in May) is a time to honor those lost during wars and
combat, while Veterans Day (November 11)
celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans. Regardless
of how one feels about these two special days, we should not forget that many
of the liberties we enjoy today are because of those who defended and serve to
protect those freedoms.
These
times are not just about honoring those who so bravely served to defend the
rights of us all, but these are also times to refocus on what is so important
in life...freedom, family and faith. Without
a doubt these times help us to gain some insights into what real sacrifices
look like and that each day there are military service-members in harm’s way
around the world. And in the words of
Colonel Nathan Jessup (played by Jack Nicholson) in the movie ‘A Few Men’... “You want me on that wall and you need me on
that wall.” Nothing says it so
clearly about the ongoing commitments of so many during these times of shifting
politics, conflicts and terrorism.
Too
often we do not treasure what we have until it is gone, challenged or becomes
questioned. It takes a lot to keep a strong
military going, to keep things safe and to maintain peace. The one thing that has been the backbone of our
great nation has been the ability to advance US values, interests and
objectives. In addition, our military defends
the values of human rights, restore peace and to guard against tyranny. It’s a tall order and the mission is
ongoing... “to defend the Constitution of
the United State against all enemies, foreign and domestic...”
Now
that is the hard part, where the rubber meets the road. Not only do we need boots on the ground to defend our freedoms globally, we also need social and economic boots on the ground to turn around many of our most
challenging communities. We are in dire
need of support from a new wave of community foot soldiers who will help take
on restorative justice, economic empowerment, and holistic healing. So, I say... It’s time to strap them up!
