Memorial Day: Duty, Honor, Country

Memorial Day is once again upon us and whether we travel, camp, barbecue, visit with friends and relatives or simply relax, it is imperative that we all take a moment to remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our great nation. Personal opinions on current or past military campaigns are irrelevant during this period of national introspection. Nobody has ever given more to our country than the soldier killed in combat and the family he left behind.

Our current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have highlighted the sacrifices made by an extremely small percentage of our nation's youth. Less than 1% volunteer to serve our nation in the profession of arms. Some have called for the reinstatement of mandatory conscription however, I disagree with their opinion. I served for 21 years as a Special Forces NCO in the US Army and I know that our all volunteer military is the most highly trained, intelligent and motivated force our nation has ever sent to combat. Individuals who decide not serve in the military also have a responsibility to our nation. How will each of them decide to serve their fellow man? Do they, or do they not, also have the responsibility to serve others? Many ideologues, opposed to any cause for war, denigrate the military's philosophy of duty, honor, country. I would simply ask these individuals to stop and ruminate over Plato's famous words, " Only the dead have seen the end of war." Many argue that humanity has developed to a point where warfare is no longer necessary. They feel that the soldier is an extension of jingoistic nationalism. I disagree with their contentions. Mankind has not developed beyond war nor, in my opinion, will we ever. Our world is full of actions and reactions, polar opposition, cause and effect, etc. Utopia is a dream, not reality.

General Douglas MacArthur delivered a famous address to West Point on May 12, 1962. The title of his speech was, "Duty, Honor, Country." General MacArthur defined the true meaning of duty, honor, country. Any organization requires a code of ethics to define it's conduct. The military's code of ethics is, duty, honor, country. It is incumbent upon those who have never served to pause for a moment and think about these three words; duty, honor, country. What do these words mean to the American soldier? Naturally, the definition of this code will vary with each soldier however, these definitions will only differ on the periphery of the code. What do I mean by this? As a soldier rises through the ranks and begins to lead other men, his relationship with the code deepens. This code serves as the granite foundation upon which each soldier will construct who he is and what he will become.

General MacArthur's observations on Duty, Honor, Country include:

1. Ethics of the American soldier.
2. Code of conduct and chivalry on the field of battle.
3. What you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be.
4. Build character.
5. Strong enough to know when you're weak and brave enough to face fear.
6. Pride.
7. Humility.
8. Master yourself before you try to master others.

As we all enjoy the weekend, I simply ask that you find some time to remember our fallen comrades in arms. As you do this, remember General MacArthur's famous words, "The soldier, above all other men, is required to practice the greatest act of religious training -- sacrifice."

De Oppresso Liber

Free Speech Versus Irresponsible Speech

I've spent the better part of this past week simmering with anger over the fallacious remarks made by Rosie O'Donnell on the May 1st episode of the popular ABC TV show; The View. Ricki Lake was a guest host for this show. I spent the better part of my adult life serving my country. A career soldier and his or her family never truly leave the military. The military is, in point of fact, a large extended family. By and large, we don't appreciate condescending comments from those on the outside. Rosie chose to insult the intelligence of our military. The following dialogue is taken from You Tube.com:

O'Donnell: Wait, can I say something? Why do people enlist in the military?

Lake: To get an education, and they're poor.

O'Donnell: Thank you.

Lake: and that's the only way to get one.

O'Donnell: The vast majority - Yes Elisabeth, it's true.

Hasselbeck: First of all, in the past year, the testing scores of our armed services have been higher than ever, so the education level - (Interrupted by Rosie)

O'Donnell: You are wrong. We have convicted felons in the Army because we're allowing them to get through.

Hasselbeck: So, they're awful. They're awful then.

O'Donnell: Elisabeth, I do everything I can to support the troops financially and emotionally. I love them as much as you do. I'm as much of a patriot. I want them home.

This transcript is part of a longer diatribe primarily voiced by Rosie. So, when does our right of free speech come into conflict with it's responsible use? If Rosie believes, as I do, that the First Amendment is sacrosanct, then why is the meaning of the Second Amendment, in her view, open to interpretation? Our right of free speech does not come to us without personal responsibilities. It is up to the individual to weigh the appropriate use of it and claim responsibility for it. Rosie has every right to say anything she wants; after all, I spent 21 years defending her right to speak out. At the same time however, she also has a responsibility to consider the impact her use of free speech has on her fellow man. According to Wikipedia.org, Rosie dropped out of Dickinson College and Boston University in order to pursue her career in comedy. Knowing this, do I have right to call her a college dropout? My right of free speech guarantees that I do, however, my judicious use of it obligates me to keep my mouth shut. Calling her a dropout would be both unfair and hurtful; especially since she simply had chosen to pursue another path in life. As a heterosexual male, do I have any right to make callous, uninformed observations about gay culture in America? Yes, of course; however, it is oftentimes more polite to keep your mouth shut; especially, if you intend to speculate on something that you don't truly have full knowledge of.

The truth of the matter is, our armed forces are an all volunteer force. The education level of newly enlisted soldiers surpasses those of their counterparts in the civilian portion of their generation. Don't simply believe me. As Rosie would say, "Google it!" People of the same belief as Rosie, have a difficult time coming to terms with our military. Vietnam was much easier for the anti-war crowd. Vietnam was a different war in a different time. There is a world of difference between a military force of conscripts and an all volunteer force. The anti-war crowd knows this; thus, following the lead of Rep Charles Rangle, they have decided to play a game of class warfare. In reality, our military is a microcosm of Americana. Soldiers come from all walks of life. It is not unusual, nor has it ever been, for a two man foxhole to be occupied by a college graduate and a high school dropout. The commonalities of military mission, ethos, and values have always surmounted the differences of ethnicity, education or financial status between soldiers. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of our peers outside the military.

Basically, life is a personal responsibility. It is a daily battle; during which, you must constantly decide when to open your mouth or simply keep quiet. Oftentimes, it is a better decision to keep quiet and not allow your mouth to write checks that your brain can't cash. As a final note, I went to Rosie's website. She told Elisabeth that she supported the troops both financially and emotionally. A quick look at Rosie's site showed all of the military links, with the exception of one, to be anti-war sites. The sole, nonpartisan site was, The Fallen Heroes Fund. I went to the Fallen Heroes Fund website and found their list of contributors. Neither Rosie O'Donnell nor her foundation were listed as a contributor to this fund so, she is either an anonymous donor or, she is being disingenuous by listing it on her site. Ironically, Don Imus the tarred and feathered shock jock, was listed as a donor to this worthy cause. Bill O'Reilly, Rosie's nemesis, was also listed as a donor. Just as Cuba Gooding Jr. told Tom Cruise in the film "Jerry Mcguire", Rosie, "show me the money!"