This Saturday, a parade celebrating the 250th army anniversary begins with Washington. This will include almost 10,000 soldiers and many helicopters, tanks and armored vehicles in the fight. 90-minute activity is expected to cost $ 45 million – Factoring to nearly $ 16 million for expected injury to roads not used to such heavy vehicles.
In a new interviewPresident Trump promoted the event, which also falls on his 79th birthday: “We have the greatest missiles in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world. And we’re going to celebrate it.”
Thing is – after 25 years in the Army, from West Point to Iraq – i (as all-wear in a uniform) can prove that we are not good. Our army and all armed america services are made of men and women, not metal and wire. Gear has always changed; Americans who serve and sacrifices are always.
It’s not just a parade. Other new events suggest that Commander-In-Chief can use a friendly shrinkage in the right way to honor our military. On May 24, Trump gave a language at the end of the west point of his Red red campaign in, exposed to a five-minute story about avoidance “trophy wives“Triped the traditional handshake with cadets by saying,” I’ll be back now to face Russia, to deal with China “- and then flew straight to his Golf Club in New Jersey.
The next morning, Trump began with a fact of truth MESSAGES: “Happy Memorial Day all, including scum spent the last four years trying to destroy our country.” That makes his next “appeal“In what is usually a bumped language in Arlington National Cemetery, as very close: “We have World Cup and we have an Olympics …. now see what I have. I’ve all.”
Of course, it’s never the right tone to mention those who fall. (Who says “happy” Memorial day?)
But the gaffes like this raise more important questions: How can we honor our military? How are civilians rightly grateful for uniforms, then and now?
It can be awkward. I know from experience. I’m a 24-year-old lieuteneno when I arrived home from my first year’s journey to Iraq. I wore my uniform in the camo with a person who said mightily, “Thank you for your service!” from about 15 feet away. I don’t know what to do, so I joined the reply. I am ashamed of identification. Good men I serve without returning home.
I’m not the first feeling of feeling. Twenty years ago, almost the sun, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower gives an address of London after the end of World War II. she As“Humble should always be part of anyone who received the adoption of his followers’ blood and the sacrifices of his friends.” Anyone who has served in real combat knows that if you are useful to get home, you can be proud, you won’t be proud.
So the right way to think about honoring our military: we appreciate a modest recognition – no more, less – in our unique role in protecting our country and approach to life.
“No more” because we’re not special. Soldiers are not movie superheroes – if we are, no honor because there is no danger. We come to serve from between you. We are the person you sit next to Chemistry, the woman you played in the playground. We are not always victims, we are not always contradicts, we are not always brave, and we do not always win. We have some equal all these things. Even George Washington, that our greatest generic, who won the war very important and protected America if still in the crib WORRIED constantly about the loss. He was afraid because he was a man, and so did everything ever dressed in American uniform.
“Not so” because we are unique. We are trained to overcome our fears to fight. We’re going where we were sent, not where we picked up. We led the lives of soldiers for protecting our country, for purposes, for time, for military value. Nobody As It’s better than John Ruskin. “The soldier’s trade, in fact and honestly, did not kill, but killed,” English historian. “Put him on a wall that destroys, with all the pleasures of the world behind him, and death only and his duty before him, he knows that this choice may be this choice before.”
But as we recognize this unique role, we in uniform should also value those who make our service possible. For uniforms not only in America sacrificed. Think about parents who sent their only daughter or son to fight – anyone else dares they don’t risk all?
Or other forms of service. My mother is a special education teacher on a poorer side of the city and struggling for years to give opportunity if children never forget. My father was one of the first to participate in the transport security administration after 9/11. So I saw civilians serving, even if it was difficult.
There are some misdeeds of military members to have a monopoly service. This myopia best got a bumper sticker form of a silhouette soldier: “Freedom is not free – I paid it.”
This claim as a flimsy as sticker it is printed. It ignores those who also contributors to freedom: reporters who set people free, teachers, and lawyers who set the innocent, and teachers who set innocent, and many more society to serve every day. Then, each soldier is the direct result of the entire community. And while basic security may be necessary for freedom exercise, certainly insufficient to ensure “life, freedom and desire of happiness.” That requires a large American team.
I take two decades to see how to answer “Thank you for your service.” I say now, “this is the greatest privilege – thank you you for doing this. “
That doesn’t cost $ 45 million or even 45 cents. All that should cost is a short time in direct eye contact, some real feelings are – and never forget the handshake.
ML Cavanaugh is the writer of the future book “Best Scar Wins: How do you get more precedent before?” @Mlcavanaugh
