Yesterday, November 11, 2023, was a day our Nation has set aside every year to honor those who have served our Nation in our Armed Forces, both living and dead. “In 2022, 16,200,322 adults in the US were veterans.” The number retired from service is down by nearly 10 million since 1990 (usafacts.org/topics/veterans). Armed Forces Day honors those currently serving in the U. S. military. “The share of the U.S. population with military experience has declined, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In 1980, about 18% of U.S. adults were veterans but that share fell to 6% in 2022.” (pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023; November 8, 2023; Katherine Schaeffer). “Only 1 percent of our population today will ever wear the uniform of this nation . . .” (defense.gov; June 29, 2018; Lisa Ferdinando). HOW DO YOU SERVE YOUR NATION?
News flash. Going to work for the average American is NOT serving our Nation. You are serving your employer in his pursuit of wealth and power. Working in the Peace Corps serves other nations, not our Nation. Working in Habitat For Humanity only helps serve those who will live in those homes. Working as a police officer or fireman only serves the community in which they are employed. Working in a care facility or driving for Meals on Wheels only serves those with whom they come in contact. Being a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist only serves those who are sick or injured. Being a Congress member only serves those in your state. Even having been President of the United States does not make that person a veteran, for even as Commander in Chief, he does not wear the uniform of a military member. Do you see the difference as to what it takes to truly serve our Nation? You must serve the entirety of our Nation, all citizens equally, in order to be truly serving our Nation. HOW DO YOU SERVE YOUR NATION?
News bulletin. Protesting a particular issue, either locally or nationally, is not serving your Nation. Going on strike does not serve your Nation. Going on a vacation, staying in bed, or even writing a blog or posting a podcast does not serve your Nation. All of these things are self-serving. Certain parts of our Nation may be impacted by these actions, but they will not serve all citizens of our Nation equally. There is only one way to serve the entirety of our Nation’s citizens. Serving in the Armed Forces is the only way to serve all of our Nation’s citizens equally. In doing so, you protect each citizen from harm from forces outside our border. Soon, those serving our Nation in the Armed Forces may have to do so even within our Nation’s borders, necessitated by the influx of illegal aliens across our southern border, most of whom our current government leaders have no idea who they are, or where they are, or what their intentions may be.
It’s truly sad that the vast majority of our Nation’s citizens have little connection to what it takes to actually serve all of our citizens equally in our Nation. Those who do serve in this capacity do not become rich, for the pay is too often far below the value of service they provide. Their training is rigorous and extensive using the latest equipment and technology. They learn teamwork, self-sacrifice, honor and duty. They often eschew family and friend connections in order to accomplish their assigned tasks, often under duress. They learn to respect authority, to properly exercise initiative and respect traditions. They are willing to sacrifice themselves for each other and for the citizens of our Nation to insure the continuation of our personal and National FREEDOM and LIBERTY.
Veteran’s Day is not just another holiday for government workers, although, as it was this year, a day off for them is given even if the 11th doesn’t fall on a weekday. The observance has become more of another opportunity to sell products by retailers, spend time at personal pursuits, and sleep in . . . while those in the Armed Forces stand watch over your safety and security. Oh, sure, maybe we pay homage to them in some gatherings, but that ends with polite applause, and the whole thing is done within a single minute. That’s not much recognition for months and years of tireless service to protect you and your loved ones, and for our Nation as a whole. Why is this? It’s because so few in our Nation truly understand and appreciate those who make sacrifices for our welfare. It is because so few of them have ever truly served the citizens of our Nation equally. In our schools and colleges, we often gloss over the wars and conflicts that have shaped the FREEDOM and LIBERTY in our Nation, and in doing so, we have missed the opportunity, the responsibility, to help students understand how fortunate they are to have been served by so few individuals. Can we not be more respectful of their sacrifices? Can we not spend more than a minute in recognition of their service? No wonder why our Nation is so divided, and confusion runs amok in our universities where national loyalty is swept under the rug of political correctness. We should all be ashamed.
The road to reclaim our pride in service will be a long one, taking more than a generation or two. Speak to your children and grandchildren about veterans. Teach the stories of sacrifice. Our National FREEDOM and LIBEERTY is dependent upon you.