Thank God for the One’s who’ve kept us free. (Right Truth Exclusive for Veterans Day)

November 11 is Veterans Day. Please do all you can to support our military.

Thank God for the One’s who’ve kept us free.
By R.J. Godlewski
© November 9, 2007, All Rights Reserved

“We the People…” Never in history have the words of mere mortals signified such a profound fissure in global politics as these that open the Constitution of the United States of America. Throughout ancient history there had been attempts at both democracies and republics, but none that so eloquently stated the significance of “the people” as that which has endured under the “One nation, under God.” Many of the nations in Europe still subscribe to some form of monarchy. Our neighbors to the north still profess to the Commonwealth. Our neighbors to the south still wallow in corruption and criminality. Yet, for all of our own faults, we are still the model for those people who dream of governance “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

These words are not uttered with simplicity nor are they not taken to heart, for millions of our brave men and women have paid the ultimate price to shore up the nation whose care they have been charged with and “the people” they wished to protect. And words written in one’s own blood are the most profound of all. When Christ spoke “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life”, He backed it up with His death upon the Cross. When our military personnel pledge allegiance to “form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity…”, they back it up with their time, their sacrifices, and far too often their very lives.

On Memorial Day, we paid homage to those who did, in fact, pay the ultimate price. No person can attest to duty more than those who died serving it. On this Sunday, we honor those who served but did not die in combat – the veterans of our nation’s proud military; those who gave their time and sacrifices but were discharged upon completion of their service. We, the “discharged members” of the armed forces, hold a special place in our hearts for those who did not survive the call to duty. It is an immense sense of guilt we carry whenever we realize how damn lucky we were to have waded through the world’s brutality safely and come back home to our loved ones. Even during ‘peacetime’ we have lost friends and acquaintances through storm and accident; disease and injury; yet we somehow have managed to endure. This is never easy to accept.

A great many of us reflect upon how seemingly insignificant our service was whenever we think of those we’ve lost – as we did during this past Memorial Day – and wonder what, if any, value our service to this great nation of ours provided. We still witness people concerned about whether they have enough food to eat, whether their children will return from school safely, and whether they will be able to retire healthy enough to enjoy the fruits that they have sowed. With the housing debacle, gasoline prices at record highs, and talk of recession, it is understandable to fear the worst. Concern breeds fear and fear breeds incapacitation. Yet, these thoughts of valueless service are selfish to begin with for we tend to attribute value solely based upon our perceptions and not that of posterity’s.

We see the ruling junta in Burma beat poor, defenseless monks; Hugo Chavez’ henchmen shoot down innocent Venezuelans; and hear Mahmoud Ahmadinejad deny the existence of a whole segment of his population right in front of our eyes and we still wonder about the significance of our service? Yes, I’ll be the first to admit that America has, over the course of its illustrious history, offered some semblance to these deeds but we’ve managed to overcome them through the power of “the people” and never once in our history have we been unable to oust those who did not serve our interests. We are able to do so because of the protection to our Constitution that the men and women of the armed forces have provided to the rest of “the people.”

As with all groups of people, there are some good members and some bad members. Nobody is perfect. There are police officers on the take, priests who’ve abused children and sports athletes who cheat. Again, no one is perfect. Even I question some of my actions since leaving the service and no doubt have my share of enemies because of these youthful transgressions. Life is a long process of maturation that only ceases when we do. Still, I have my two honorable discharges (both from the Naval Reserve, though the first included my four years of active duty) and for which I am immensely proud. There were many, many times when I doubted that I would be able to complete my service in one piece. There is just something ‘demanding’ about the service that makes one question their own sanity as soon as they pull into boot camp. ;o) Regardless of the sacrifices, inconveniences, and soul-shattering reality of military duty, I endured and it laid the foundation for how I conduct myself today.

It was my military service that taught me to carry on through life’s difficulties and which definitely aided me in driving my tractor-trailer rig across half the country while suffering from acute food poisoning and still be able to deliver my load relatively on time. It was my military experience that allowed me to work twenty-hour shifts, seven days a week on a fish processing vessel and still be able to manage some semblance to a decent, courteous human being. Finally, it was my military experience that permitted me to work diligently at a rug manufacturer for eight to ten hours per day and then come home to provide quality care for my dying wife for the rest of the fourteen. Sleep is for civilians.

Where would our nation be today if our military was allowed to call in sick, refuse demanding assignments because they didn’t possess the piece of paper that signifies their expertise within the subject, or quit when the going got tough? There’s a reason that veterans can pick out other veterans from amongst crowds; civilians are simply too hung up on personal sacrifices to make the sacrifices required to keep this great nation of ours growing, maturing, and competing. Until you’ve lived the life, you don’t know what true sacrifice is all about.

So on this Sunday, the 11th of November, let’s all take a moment and give our thanks to all those who have served this great nation of ours. They may not have paid the ‘ultimate price’ and may not have even served during periods of ‘declared’ conflict (wars being somewhat eternal) , but our nation rests upon their shoulders more so than any other group of living citizens. They served not monarch or tyrant; cult or Reich; despot or caliphate. They served “We the People” and it’s high time that “We the People” show them our deepest gratitude. They’ve damn well earn it.

Other Veterans Day Information:

With Christmas coming up and many of you starting to address your Christmas cards ... please remember the Veterans. For a Veteran: This would be a great experience for kids and adults alike!

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier/Hero
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6 900 Ge orgia Avenue, NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

If you approve of the idea, please pass it on.

Also you can Send a card to a solder in Iraq

Huge Hat Tip to Michael van der Galiën for his email pointing me to this site.

Peace and Freedom II honors Dave Robinson: Navy Cross

I have written about some of the truly remarkable people I’ve met and worked with before. Here is recognition of one of the very fine gentlemen I greatly admire: Vice Admiral David Brooks Robinson, U.S. Navy (Retired). (continue reading)

Our Heroes Are Being Ignored by the Media, says The Thunder Run

Who are today's heroes? [snip]

I'll tell you what's happening to them the MSM is ignoring their stories. Allow me to introduce you to our newest hero, Lieutenant Walter Jackson via the Army News Service:

Comments

[fouse, gary c]

Veterans Day

I wish I was more proficient with my blog, so that I could post a picture of a soldier or an American flag to honor Veterans Day. Unfortunately, I am still learning and breaking in with the blog. Anyway, I would not be doing this blog in the first place if it were not for our veterans, especially those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

I am proud to be a veteran myself, but those who served in combat are far up the military totem pole from me. Today, in an all volunteer military, our young men and women who choose to wear the uniform are the best our society has to offer.

Thank you to all our service members, past and present who have defended and are defending our freedom.

Have a happy Veteran's Day, but don't forget the solumn part of it.

gary fouse
fousesquawk

[Debbie]

Thanks everybody. Mr. Godlewski says, "Please give everyone else my thanks and a "You're welcome!" to Faultline USA. Writing about America and our military is easy in theory -- I love both very much -- but finding just the right words to pen is extremely difficult. I'm glad everyone liked it."

[Debbie]

Ortho: In answer to your question, "Debbie what's up with the photo of R.J. Godlewski getting an award? Why are the eyes of the individual right above the handshake blocked out? Who is that person? -- Ortho " The following is Mr. Godlewski's response:

"She was just one of our firemen strikers that was assigned to our electrical department (I was an Electrician's Mate, Third Class) after the Powers that Be decided that she was going to be most useful as an Electrician and like it [pretty much the same way they got me ;o) ]. As she was the only one easily recognizable within the photograph I blacked out her eyes for some semblance of privacy (though after a quarter of a century that might've been a moot point); everyone else is either in the shadows, hardly in the photograph at all (such as my dive buddy Mike on the extreme left just above my left arm), or facing away from the camera (as in our skipper, O.C. Martin, Jr.). The girl's name is Bernadette ("Bernie"), she was from Pennsylvania and had something of a crush on me -- though I was far too naïve to notice -- and ended up getting married to a former shipmate.

I got two letters of appreciation on that day (though one is dated 2 Jun 1983). The first for "superior performance of duties while serving in 'E' Division" during the overhaul of the electrical system during our ship's overhaul in the Pearl Harbor shipyard.

The second letter of appreciation is the one where I was recognized for individual work; I rewired the ship's brig and was recognized for my efforts involving "long hours, critical deadlines, and conflicting job requirements", etc. I was assisted by one of our strikers who, incidentally, was none other than Bernie.

Hope that this explains the "Who", as for why I submitted the photograph, well let's just say that I wanted to show the veterans of this country that I know a thing or two about how much they've sacrificed. ;o)

R.J.

By the way, the photograph was taken during our West Pac deployment in October, 1983 one month after the Soviets shot down Korean Air 007 and in which the U.S.S. Jason (AR-8) took an active historical role -- we repaired and maintained the ships that were out looking for the wreckage of the airliner. Initially, we thought that it was an American plane that was shot down."

Thanks for the great comments everybody. The more we can do for these fine folks, the better.

[Faultline USA]

Thank you R.J. Godlewski for a beautiful article in honor of our veterans. And thank you Debbie for posting the links for sending Christmas cards to our veterans at Walter Reed and to our soldiers in Iraq!

[courtneyme109]

Americans should go down on their knees and thank God Almighty for raising up this race of laughing free men. Americans energetically pursue art, medicine, science, technology and wisdom. When these designs are halted by conflict, they energetically pursue the absolute destruction of their enemies. After visiting violence and securing victory they energetically return to the pursuit of art, medicine,science, technology and wisdom.

America's veterans put their lives on hold, went throughout the world, incinerated our enemies, returned home and built this awesome place.

Because of veterans - America built the modern world. And we know our way around.

[A.C. McCloud]

Nice post Debbie. I think we need to hit the veteran charity sites hard on Monday, just to make a point. Sort of like the point currently being made by the lack of attendance at all these anti-war movies.

[Lew Waters]

The author is right. Military service has helped many, especially me, to keep my head at times and endure what before would brought about an outburst, costing me my job. With a family, we cannot afford to lose too many jobs.

We owe our Veterans a debt we can never repay, even those of us who are also Veterans. We are aging today and can no longer face our enemies as we did when young. So, young people from every walk of life come and volunteer and place themselves between us and our enemies.

Sometimes, a simple "Thank You" seems so inadequate. Yet, that is all any desire, Just the gratitude of a nation that remains the freest on the planet.

[Incognito]

Beautiful tributes to our vets, Deb!

There are so many various organizations that help vets.. we need to do better in helping not only our vets but our troops.

[Angel]

Amen Debbie...truly !:)

[Americaneocon]

"So on this Sunday, the 11th of November, let’s all take a moment and give our thanks to all those who have served this great nation of ours. They may not have paid the ‘ultimate price’ and may not have even served during periods of ‘declared’ conflict (wars being somewhat eternal) , but our nation rests upon their shoulders more so than any other group of living citizens."

Very well said. Thanks Debbie!

[ortho]

Debbie what's up with the photo of R.J. Godlewski getting an award? Why are the eyes of the individual right above the handshake blocked out? Who is that person?

[Paul Champagne]

In case anyone wonders if the soldiers appreciate the cards and letters ... I can say from experience that they absolutely do. Great post.

[heidianne jackson]

great work on your posts for veterans' day, deb. keep it up!

[Karen]

Very nice, Debbie. I went to a breakfast meeting this morning of like minded political women and we have agreed to begin supporting soldiers thru Soldiers Angels beginning in January.

Everything helps. We can never repay the efforts of our military.