ARMED FORCES: DO WE APPRECIATE THEM?

My wife and I were on a plane several weeks ago from Anchorage, Alaska to Chicago, Illinois. No, this had nothing to do with the recent nomination of the Governor of Alaska to be the running mate (no pun intended) of John McCain!

The flight was the red-eye, leaving Anchorage at 8:00pm so we knew we were in for a long night. The plane was packed, thus a tight fit for everyone.

We were in a six across row, with me on the aisle, my wife in the middle and by the window was a guy from the army. He was very young looking. I wondered if he was old enough to have a beer.

When the beverage cart came by, I offered to buy him a drink but the flight attendant gave it to him. Later when the cart came by again, I offered again to buy him a drink and a different flight attendant let me pay, which I was glad to do. I also bought him the little snack pack that they offer for sale. He was very appreciative and polite; calling me sir and my wife ma’am. Guess how old that made us feel.

We began to talk and learn about him and what he was doing. This young man had just finished his basic training in Fort Benning, Georgia and had been in his small home town in Alaska for a break before going on permanent assignment in New York and then on to Iraq or Afghanistan. He was telling us that he hated to leave his two small kids and wife. Well, he couldn’t have been more than 20 or 21 years old and to have a family this size already. You had to wonder what he was doing in the service.

In talking to him, he had joined up to do his duty and then get out and go to College on the GI Bill. My first point here is that this program has been around forever and has benefited many of our young men and women. Any talk of taking this away, in my opinion, should stop forever. To go and put your life on the line for the rest of the country should have some reward beyond just getting a meager pay! He wanted to go on to law enforcement and he knew he had to graduate from college. His thoughts were, where else is better to get the basics of law enforcement than in the service of your country and then where else can I get help in paying for college? He had a strategic plan for his life and really stated it that way. The guy was on the ball and thinking long term, unlike many of his contemporaries!

We asked about his basic training in Fort Benning. Here is where the comments get a little unbelievable for me. Not that we doubted what he was saying but that things like this really happen is what is amazing. This is the second point of this blog.

Josh, the young man, said that the citizens of the town around Fort Benning didn’t treat the soldiers very well. The soldiers felt unappreciated and unwanted. It was like, “it is fine for you to be here and you can buy our goods and services but you don’t need to socialize with us or be involved with us!”

Well, this reminded me of the reception that our Vietnam returnees got in this country back in the late 60’s and early 70’s. What is wrong with us when we don’t appreciate what our servicemen are doing for us? Forget about the politics for the moment and whether or not we agree with them.

You don’t agree with George Bush or Lyndon Johnson? Fine, but don’t take your political views out on the loyal armed forces men and women! They are not running for office; they are not making policy; they are “only” protecting each and every one of us and our way of life.

As far as I am concerned, if you don’t appreciate these young men and women and what they do for you, why don’t you just leave the country and be protected in a place like South Ossetia, Iran, or North Korea!

The moral of this story is that when you run across a service man or woman, buy them a drink or meal or cookie etc and think about what life would be like if they weren’t around! Their life is on the line for each and every one of us; show your appreciation in any little way that you can! Further, don’t take away the GI Bill.

Ray

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