Why do they do it? I'm not sure I understand, but I believe I would also volunteer to serve. Could some do it to make a living, or to learn a skill? to travel? for adventure? to test oneself? All of these things probably contribute in some way, but the most important may be to protect our country's freedoms. I also believe that this feeling of patriotism and volunteerism carries over into our every day lives. It is why people in this country volunteer in all sorts of ways, with all sorts of organizations. But today we concentrate on the military.
I can only hope and pray that there are enough young people who feel this way every generation. I hope they don't all wait, like I and others of my generation did, to realize and appreciate what we have here. No matter what our country of origin, or our grandparents' country of origin, we are all, right this moment, Americans. Maybe we should all reread the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. It couldn't hurt.
Having said all of that, have a great Memorial Day!
Hi:
ReplyDeleteA great idea. It is scientifically known that our short term memory may falter as we get older but our ability to reason becomes sharper...I akm waiting:)
The military. Having served in the military as a pilot and an officer I can say there are many reasons people join.
The most commonly publicized is patriotism. I would bet that has not been so since WWII.
Prior to the recession they could not fullfil their quotas and had to drastically lower their standards to draw on the "underprivaleged" population.
Since the recession there has been no problem meeting quota. Draw your own conclusions.
Personally when I was graduating from college I received my notice for the draft physical before commencement. Having come from a long line of veterans I scoured around and found a reserve pilot training spot that I qualified for. I still went active (another story).
No matter the reason for the enlistment soldiers are molded (my term) to duty. They universally follow orders and perform the most heroic and dangerous tasks. They must, cheuvinistically, follow the directions of superiors and their commander in chief, The President. As an officer it was considered a type of treason to talk against the President.
Make no mistake. Memorial Day is important and well earned by all who have served our country. We often reflected on the righteousness of what we were doing. We agreed...someday...history would decide.
We also agreed that there must be some other way to resolution than war. And, as we matured, we learned, "follow the money." And in the case of some countries follow the power, in particular, in the case of theocracies.
T