Sawyer Flynn, second from left, receives his awards from L to R, Jacki Poland, senior vice president of the Ladies Auxiliary, Margaret Bradley, Larry Troudt and Stan Rosaaen of VFW Post #4099.
Veterans, the very word invokes thoughts of respect and selfless sacrifice. Oftentimes, we think of veterans as larger than life figures who stand between the faceless evil and us. I do not write to argue this point, but to clarify and sharpen it.
Our veterans are not great because of their sacrifices but because of what they sacrificed for. No man or woman has ever risked life and limb for a cause they do not believe in and it is in my opinion that America is a cause that deserves that belief.
Before a veteran can become a veteran, he or she must serve our country. There is no specification that they must serve at wartime or that time served must be on the front lines of battle. A broad range of skills is required during a military operation and all who serve in a support capacity contribute greatly to the military. An Air Force mechanic will repair and maintain planes and other equipment and Army Signalers are trained in radio operation and relay orders quickly to and from their location. After their discharge, these two specialties and many more have marketable skills that will help them to succeed in their lives after service.
It would seem that we have just now started to appreciate our veterans in a realm outside of a symbolic place of honor. However, the men and women of our armed forces have been almost universally respected throughout our nation's history. Returning soldiers from the American Revolution became respected politicians and veterans of the Civil War prompted our countries westward expansion. However, one of the few periods in which this respect was not universal was during the Vietnam Conflict, a costly, drawn out battle to prevent Communism in Southeast Asia. Regardless of personal stance on this conflict, troops that served in all facets of its campaign should be given a great deal of respect. In the pursuit of justice and liberty for the people of the Republic of Vietnam and our Allies around the world, brave men and women reaffirmed that there would be no bowing from the United States. To turn our backs on nations that upheld their own values, would have been a betrayal of ourselves.
Upon returning from Vietnam, many of our veterans were publically disrespected and demeaned. This show of disrespect is a scar upon the history of our nation, a black mark that will never be repaired. Our best hope is to learn from it. Today, a veteran of Vietnam receives the respect that should have been given from the moment they arrived home. For this I am full of pride for out nation's people. Even in the face of long term resentment, we have completely altered our course back to what it was and what it always should be. Lessons learned on the return from Vietnam have changed our stance on war permanently and I believe for the better.
In recent conflicts, our presence has become a hotly contested political issue. In an approach that is used far too often, our soldiers become a faceless entity for foreign policy. Similarly, injured veterans face the same problems and become objects in the eyes of the policy makers.
Our drive, our solitary motivation when it comes to veterans is to remember that on all fronts, our veterans have proven themselves as driven, patriotic individuals who believe first and foremost in the idea of America. To forget our veterans is to forget everything that is worth paying the ultimate price for. Family, duty, honor, and America.
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