I have recently been struck by a strong thankfulness to the men and women serving our country. I have been doing a lot of things that have to do with the military, so it’s been on my mind a lot. So I want to dedicate this post to showing these amazing people how grateful I am to them.
The first thing that prompted this post was my brother’s recent commissioning into the Army. I am so proud to be in a family that is so willing to serve this country. With both of my grandfathers and my father having served America, I have already become accustomed to men in my life serving this country. I love that my brother is a man of honor and is willing to fight for the freedoms that we all hold so dear.
The next was not as pleasant and sweet a moment. It was a comment made by one of my classmates. While doing a presentation on Alice Walker, she mentioned that this woman worked with women and children who were being “bombed by our soldiers” for no reason, other than they were suspected terrorists. I almost got up and walked out of the class.
But instead I decided that I would prove that the men and women who serve us are true leaders, and deserve a lot more respect than she gave them in class. I did my presentation on First Sergeant Brad Kasal, a marine who lost 60% of his blood saving his fellow marine. He is man who used a tourniquet to save his fellow marine instead of himself, although both their lives were in danger. He refused medical attention until his the man beside him received it first.
I pulled a few quotes from him and put them in my presentation. One of these included:
” freedom has never come free. Whatever your beliefs or political stance, our young service members of all branches are performing remarkably and making a difference. In Iraq combat was only a small part of our overall role. Military service members performed countless humanitarian projects ranging from large-scale items—such as building new schools, hospitals, and community services—to everyday things as small as handing out candy and pencils to children or helping a farmer with a flat tire.”
How’s that for you “bombing” theory?
(Click here to read more about Brad Kasal)
For me, I can’t imagine insinuating that the men and women who help keep us free are doing wrong by doing their job. And It insulted me that she would say something like that.
I also just finished watching Band of Brothers with a few of my friends (I think it was my 5th time watching it all the way through). I love this miniseries. It’s probably my favorite. I think it truly captures the sacrifice that the men during the war had to make. It shows how war is never easy but that there are things in life worth fighting for.
I have a few favorite parts of the series and one of them is the very last scene. It has all of the interviews with the actual men who fought in the 101st Airborne. Dick Winters says at the end that he cherishes the memory of a question his grandson asked him.
“Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?” his grandson asked him.
“No, but I served in a company of heroes,” was his reply.
If you want to see this final scene, click here
This humble attitude always strikes me. It gives me chills and warms my heart. It makes me love and respect those serving our country even more. Another endearing quality of these men is their solid determination to continue to fight a fight worth fighting.
In Band of Brothers, you see it countless times. Men who are shot, seriously wounded, and emotionally scarred returning to the battle field because they want to. They believe in what they are fighting for and they have a desire to fight.
This attitude continues even today. I stumbled across an article recently about a man who lost both of his feet in Iraq after a bomb pierced his vehicle. When he returned to the states six days later, he decided that he would rejoin the 101st Airborne (Hooah!).
This soldier had a determination that I hope even the most cynical of people can appreciate. His feet were taken off in May of 2008, and by February 2009 he was running a mile in eight minutes. He wanted to rejoin his battalion only if he could help them and not be a hindrance.
He did rejoin his battalion. He rejoined it after he ran 12 miles in 3 hours with a 35 pound backpack strapped to his back.
Click here to read the whole article.
Heroes like this aren’t born every day. They are made. They become heroes. People can have their opinions about our military but I don’t know how you can hear about service members like these and not be close to tears of gratitude.
I pray for our military members every day. I pray for their safety. I pray for their families.
If you don’t agree with what I believe, then I hope when you read this you felt a bit of thankfulness for those who fight so you don’t have to. And if you do agree with me, then I hope this made you even more proud of these amazing people who give us our freedom.
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