Cyndi's Two Cents
Patriotism in action
Commentary.
A flyer in the mailbox at the end of our long lane early last week reminded me that it has been nine years since the small rural community where I live was rocked to its core. This rural community, tucked away in a safe section of the world, in 2006 suffered the loss of a young Marine. Leon had graduated from high school the year before his death. An Eagle Scout, he believed it was his duty to serve his country. He died with several fellow Marines in a roadside bombing in Fallujah, a city in the Iraqi Province of Al Anbar.
Each year at this time, people come from miles around to participate in an annual Walk/Run that funds a memorial scholarship in honor of the fallen Marine. Six years ago, the family formed the good citizen scholarship to carry on Leon’s memory.
Many Americans disagree about the role our country should play in wars in the Middle East. Sadly, most Americans would not be able to tell you how many wars have involved United States military forces in the past decade or how many wars and “military interventions” we are involved in today.
I was only 10 years old when a cease-fire was called in the Vietnam War and American soldiers began exiting the country for good. That was January 27 of 1973. The United States had been sending troops to Vietnam since the 1950’s. Although the Vietnam War was a reality of my childhood, I really did not have a full understanding of its impact on all of our lives until years later.
Almost 3 million U.S. men and women were sent to fight the war in Vietnam. Many veterans were treated with disrespect upon return to the U.S. because many Americans did not agree with nor understand that war. Unlike the Viet Nam War, most Americans today do support the men and women in the military.
The War in Iraq has forever changed the lives of the family of the young Marine. His friends and classmates will more than likely never forget the moment they learned their friend had died, fighting for freedom in a far-away place. It changed each individual’s “universe” forever.
My parents instilled in me a sense of patriotic responsibility. They taught us to respect the American flag and that early teaching was reinforced through 4-H, where at camp we participated in flag raising and lowering ceremonies each day. We learned how to clip the flag to the rope so it would easily glide to the top of the pole and fly freely in the breeze, but more importantly, we learned how to handle it with respect. My brother, cousins, uncles and many other relatives have served or continue to serve in the military, and I am very proud of them and the sacrifices they have made for you and me.
It is my hope that none of us forget the sacrifices being made every day of our lives by our United States Military.
Tags: commentary
Powerful!!