I often marvel at the American attitude towards its veterans and active service people. In my lifetime, it’s always been a respectful but somber feeling towards the wars, lives lost and other sacrifices these noble people have made.
A huge part of me empathizes with the USA veteran-honoring mindset. My father and grandfather were both competent pilots in the Army, the latter a full-time career Lieutenant Colonel. Grandpa served in WWII and the Korean War, and dad averted Vietnam but neverthess served dutifully as a Huey and Blackhawk pilot throughout Korea, Kosovo, Honduras and the States.
In fact, I recall a visit to the Vietnam War memorial in Washington when I was about 12 or 13. It’s really hard to describe the eerie, blank sadness that takes over as you quietly make your way across walls and walls of names of fallen soldiers. The most poignant moment was seeing my dad gently weep as he looked thumbed through the thick directories of the dead and found a few of his old Army buddies listed. I’ll never forget that afternoon.
I also grew up around, but not on, military bases. So I’m somewhat familiar with the military lifestyle — the bland and characterless rows of uniform housing, PXs and BXs, commissaries, uniforms and saluting. I also had friends whose parents were in the Air Force, Navy or Army. Many of them were a transient lot, moving between various states and countries.
So there’s that part of me that knows and can’t help but respect the US military. But there’s another part I can’t ignore: the part that asks “Why in the world would anyone ever consider joining the military?” Voluntarily joining the service is out of the question for me simply because I don’t support fighting, war, violence and other forms of forceful governance.
Yes, I agree with and fully respect the necessity of such measures for just causes – and the ones who risk their lives to take them. But I would rather first seek solutions that call for mutual dialog. Unfortunately many military types I have known don’t see it this way. It’s bomb first and ask questions later.
And yes, as a teenager I faced a decision to enlist, to follow the honorable service of my father and his father before him. And even though it wasn’t the easiest thing to do at the time — God knows I needed the money — I’m still happy I never crossed that line. If I did, would that mean I would one day have to send my two sons off to serve?
The veterans that this day honors have earned every iota of my respect. I am thankful for our freedom, which clearly has not been free. Good people have died and suffered so I can be here blogging from my couch. But I also I think it’s fair to say that there’s more than one way to serve one’s country. Aloha.
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