Really? Do you truly mean those words, or are they something that makes you feel good about your lack of it? I have often wondered about that because it seems so common today like Good Morning or Good Afternoon. Here is an article that my favorite contributor Marine Greg Maresca, had published in the American Spectator. I think it is a fitting article for today as it’s Veterans Day, or for those who remember when it was Armistice Day. Enjoy, and if you are a Vet, think about Greg’s recommendation. I love it!
When I first stepped onto the college quad, I was just another young man, making his way, surveying the lay of the land. For me, however, there were a few personal firsts playing out in real time to which none of those aspiring collegians were privy.
For one, I was no longer getting a weekly haircut, nor was any razor getting acquainted with my face on a daily basis. I no longer used shower shoes, waited in line to eat out of a can, or pitched a tent to sleep in a bag. “The slide into civilian slime,” as Marine Corps GySgt. Cooley, a decorated Vietnam veteran, would lament, was well underway. Perhaps that is why Gunny assigned me to the Civilian Readjustment class — twice.
In one of my first collegiate classes, everyone took a turn at the professor’s lectern, and we were all instructed to introduce ourselves with a brief biography, explaining what brought us to university. As the class was dismissed, the professor asked to speak with me. In no uncertain terms he wanted me to know that, during the Vietnam years, protests on campus occurred, and veterans were not well received by some.
Growing up, I witnessed the domestic upheaval that was endured by these veterans, many of whom were the senior NCOs and field grade officers I served with. There was even a smattering of Korean War veterans among them. Sensing the opportunity to support and defend these men who mentored me, I did it without trepidation and with satisfaction.
This was before the days when the ubiquitous expression “Thank you for your service” became the new catchphrase echoing throughout our lexicon, especially around Veterans Day. For some, specifically those Korean and Vietnam veterans, the “thanks” and “welcome home” were much too long in coming. Whether or not these words bestowed upon them are sincere, the fact is that plenty never got a chance to hear such benign salutations.
Or is it just something we say, like “Happy Thanksgiving” and “Merry Christmas,” to fill an uncomfortable void that often comes across as disingenuous?
This seemingly quasi-support perhaps stems from the fact that most have never served, even though America had, until recently, been at war for nearly two decades. More than 2 million served in Iraq and Afghanistan following 9/11. That seems like a lot, but, categorically, they represent less than 1 percent of the U.S. population.
Americans’ experience of war today happens as they are surrounded by the comforts of home. That battle against evil and freedom-hating rogues is fought compliments of a computer video screen and mouse, where the terror, blood, and stench of death is nonexistent.
“Thank you for your service.”
Really?
If you truly mean what you say, how about making your gratitude count the next time you vote? For once, stop casting your ballot for Marxists who take their liberties for granted, while despising this country that I served, and you chose not to, a nation that seemingly does not exist today.
How about that — or are you offended?
Freedom’s steep and never-ending price tag is disproportionally paid, time and again, by veterans, and it always has been that way, even after 1973 when Congress put the draft to rest. If attempting to assuage your draft-deferment guilt with your yearly perfunctory “thank you for your service” makes you feel better — then have at it.
After all, it’s a free country, right?
There is one hero of the Iraq War, who had the humility and grace to respond in kind, who was nothing short of perfection. You won’t find this gentleman on Facebook or any other narcissistic social media outlet extolling his every move as some validation of purpose. He does not wear a hat, shirt, or jacket to distinguish who he is because his mere presence and the way he carries himself more than suffices.
While on patrol in Iraq, his face and hands were mutilated by an improvised explosive device. Maimed for life, he looked the person dead in the eye, saying, “The best way you can thank any of us for our service is to make America a nation worth dying for, again.”
Amen.
Greg Maresca is a longtime Sample News Group columnist and a Marine Corps veteran living in Flyover, Pennsylvania.
This is nothing short of excellent. This brief essay says plenty. I plan to pass along. Thank you for posting, Col. Semper Fi.
During Desert Storm in the early 90’s I had the unfortunate experience of being on recruiting duty in Louisiana. Most of my time had been at Camp Lejeune or Quantico with little to no interaction with the civilian community. On one visit to the Houston MEPS I stayed in a hotel downtown, that morning two little elderly well-dressed ladies got on the elevator with me as I was making my way to the lobby. We exchanged greetings and made some small talk. When the doors opened I held them open in order that they could take their time getting off the elevator. As they walked in front of me towards the lobby one of them stopped, turned around, and touched me lightly on my forearm and said, “thank you”. I thought she was referring to my holding the door open for them and I said something like. “it is just a common courtesy for a lady”. She replied, “No, thank you for being a Marine”. I was dumb founded! No one had ever thanked me for being a Marine before and I had been on active duty for 14 years!
A month or so later, in Lake Charles, LA. I was invited to a Marine Corps League function. The League wanted me to join them for some after dinner drinks but I had to abstain as I was driving a government vehicle. But I told them there was a restaurant with a bar behind the hotel where I was staying. They agreed to follow me back to the hotel and have some drinks at the local pub. Little did I know it must have been the most popular place in Lake Charles because when we arrived there must have been a line of 30-40 people waiting to get inside. Almost instantly someone up front said, “hey Marines come on up here and get inside”! We tried to play it off and thanked them but said, “we are used to standing in lines and can wait our turn”. Every person in that line stepped aside and said, “we are not going in until you Marines are seated at a table”. We thanked them all for their kindness and went up front, I reached for my wallet to pay the cover charge and was told by the doorman, “your money is no good here, go on in”. I did not argue! As we (about 6 Marines in Dress Blues and Six Marine Corps League members in red blazers) walked in the live music stopped and every person in that standing room only, slop chute stood up and gave us a standing ovation and a table, we did not spend a dime that night. I felt embarrassed and humbled as their gratitude was really for the Marines in Iraq sleeping in the desert and I am getting “treated like a Kennedy”.
I learned you have to get away from the flag pole to discover how Americans felt about Marines. That was in 1990 – 1993 and I hope they still feel that way today.
Thank you all for devoting your youthfull years to protecting our Country.
And thank you Andy aka “Preacher.” And yes I hope it is still the same today as well, but I have my doubts.
SEMPER FI Colonel. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Amen…Amen
When those in the establishment uniparty D&R District of Corruption say thank you for your service. They really mean thank you for fighting the wars that we started and had no intention of winning. So we the elites could line our pockets in the blood soaked cash of others. Smedley Butler was Right 👍. Semper Fidelis! Bible and ⚔️.