(First, a gargantuan THANK YOU to Delftsman, for offering up his forum for my thoughts. He's a brave man. ;-) And a card-carrying member of the Warrior Caste)

Recently on a prominent Milblog, this topic was debated in a very PC fashion by those formerly, or currently in the Military. They carefully danced around saying this outright, and I can see from their point of view why they might feel the need. I've always found soldiers to be a modest lot. (lol - in some ways) and most of them probably do believe there is no difference between those who serve and those who haven't donned a uniform.

I however, do not.

Okay I'll say it, proud and loud, to all you former and current military men and women out there:

I believe the Warrior Caste IS a better group of people on the whole. You understand and voluntarily embrace commitment to something bigger than yourselves. Being willing to risk your own life for a stranger, a buddy, a cause, an ideal, a country, is NOT COMMON FARE. It takes a level of courageous resolve not found in everyone.

Family members have been in the military for generations, back to the Revolution. My brothers and I didn't go in that direction, for differing reasons. Doesn't mean we're not good people, and tons just like us are probably your neighbors and friends and eventually, your coworkers. However, we all would be calling on YOU should an enemy suddenly land in our backyards. We could maybe hold the fort awhile, some of us, but troops would eventually have to come to rescue our tails. Knowing this truth, one does what one can to support you all in other ways.

You guys perhaps cannot agree without being jumped all over for being elitist. But I don't see it is a judgement AGAINST others, rather as an acknowledgement of what IS. We need folks like you; always have, and probably always will. We are damned lucky to have you.

The very, very, very, least we can do for you in return is support and defend you from your smaller enemies - the press, protesters, loneliness on deployment, making sure you can come home and carry on with your lives; by blogging, attending rallys, sending mail and care packages and helping out those family members you must leave behind - so that you can engage a more immediate threat, a more implacable enemy with that much clearer a mindset.

I cheerfully (and cheeringly) acknowledge that there are people braver than me, just as there are those who are kinder, smarter, etc. It seems like finding and learning from such folks is a good way to grow in these areas. Not denying that any area for growth exists!

Posted by: beth*A at 04:35 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
Post contains 468 words, total size 3 kb.