Today is Memorial Day and here in Shopping Mall USA the weather is gorgeous. A good day to remember the sacrifices made by generations of American Servicemen.
However, it seems to me, that for all the talk of supporting our troops and all the yellow ribbon bumper stickers-the majority of the populace here is blissfully unaware of the level of effort that is being undertaken by the members of the armed forces today. Sure, the Legion and the VFW and others are holding ceremonies to mark the occasion-but you want to know what the lead headline was here in Shopping Mall? The death of an assistant to Werner Von Braun. A notable event to be sure-but given the day, not exactly a page 1 item.
Having been in and around the profession of arms, it bothers me immensely to see the fact that the nations populace has very little idea of the current level of operational tempo that the armed forces are sustaining. Or the fact that over 5000 Americans (when contractor numbers are factored in) have been killed in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Over 35000 have been injured. On any given day fully 45% of the total armed forces is deployed in support of those efforts.
And no matter who wins in November-these wars will go on and on and on.
Now, one can argue that these sacrifices are in the national interest. It will be argued that way throughout the coming months. That discussion needs to be had. In fact it is about 4 years overdue. It is no secret to any steady reader of this blog where my opinion falls on the Iraq piece of this sacrifice. I bridle inside each time I see a picture of a fallen Soldier-killed for Arabs, a denomination of people who seem peculiarly unable to help themselves. And I have a very strong skepticism that they will be able to transform themselves into some beacon of freedom in the Arab world. The odds are strong that even if they put their petty differences aside and work on their economy-it will be like that of their neighbors, built on foreign labor traded like just another commodity. That is hardly an advancement for liberty, and democratic ideals.
But I digress, because today is not the day to pick up that argument. We can go back to that on June 1’st. Today is about remembering people who did just one thing: they suited up and they showed up. Politics aside, that is what the average member of the military is doing each and every day. Regardless of their personal feelings one way or the other-they are going where they are ordered and working hard and wanting to get the job done.
Twas always thus. I don’t accept the premise that somehow the generation of the GWOT is somehow different or better than those of us Baby Boomers who fought the Cold War and the hot wars in the middle. They are not-they are the same as we were. They have and had hopes and dreams and they wanted their military service to be the enabler of those dreams. They wanted to get out of their hometowns and see the world. They wanted to feel like they were doing something useful. And they wanted to have some fun.
Sadly, some did not return. As the President pointed out today, the numbers of white crosses in our national cemeteries grows with each year. ( I’ll skip the irony that he is the author of the policies that propelled a lot of that increase….). And it will continue apace for at least 3-5 years to come. Even if Obama wins. I don’t think he ( or we) really realize that yet.
And it will fall to a very small percentage of Americans to serve. They deserve every bit of honor the nation can give them. They deserve the GI Bill that the vaunted “supporters of the troops” so stalwartly oppose. ( That is you Dr Chu!). They deserve to have the rest of the non-serving population share in the sacrifices they are making.
They deserve to be remembered.
Take time out today and give thanks, to God for giving the country folks willing to serve-and to those who did serve and gave their lives doing so. They deserve that…….and a lot more.