Commentary by Michael Swickard, Ph.D. - * Note: this was written before the news Sunday night. It is neither more nor less appropriate with Osama bin Laden’s death.Each of us, all of us, every American is directly and completely beholden to our military. The U.S.A. would cease to exist without our military protecting us from our enemies who are only restrained by the might of our military. Winston Churchill said, “We sleep safely at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us.” Also, “Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few.”
The military is most often identified by aircraft carriers and fast moving jets. But I have a different view. It is of the young men and women who stand firm in the face of adversity, who give all they have including at times their lives. Other countries have military hardware. Our military is special because of the quality of the people who take up arms voluntarily to protect us.
I had a conversation recently with a parent who objected to military recruiters being in high schools to recruit graduating high school seniors. This person felt that their child should not help protect the country, it should be someone else. What if everyone said that?
Military recruiters are often not treated well at high schools. This seems puzzling since our country has had to fight for its freedom many times since it was founded. We fight to keep the freedom won with blood and sacrifice. Around 850,000 American soldiers have lost their life to give life to our country from 1775 to now.
I find the effort to steer students away from the military wrong for several reasons. First, a military experience of several years or full career in the military is a real good thing for high school seniors to consider. It takes guts and gumption to stand firm in the face of great adversity. The training to stand firm is training for life.
This I know: the people who have stood firm understand, as Lincoln noted, “…we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.” While some young people drift between one self-indulgent moment to another, one group of our citizens is made stronger by their mission.
Not every student just out of high school is ready to go to college. Some need time to find their life’s passion. A great place to go, great people to train with and a lifetime of discipline are theirs for the taking.
Yes, there are some dangers, but realistically your child is statistically safer in the military than at college. In just a couple generations our country has gone from military service being almost required to be in politics to now where military service is looked upon by many as a bad thing. How sad.
A child was born this week at a hospital near you. It does not matter if you know that child or not. In twenty years that child may or may not be in the military. From a weak helpless infant today in twenty years that child may be all that stands between you and the evil ones who would take your freedoms away from you.
Will that child join the military? It depends on several factors. There is little chance of that child volunteering for the military if we, as a society, speak badly of the military. When we treat the military badly, especially retired and injured military we are making sure the next generations of American youth will not join up. How can we ever hope that a child born today will stand between us and danger twenty years from now?
My father was in the military and retired after 25 years. I think of his duty and honor proudly. Also, I was in ROTC in college. It was a great time with some very valuable lessons learned by me.
I hope each parent allows their children to consider the military. It is right for the children and our nation. To all who serve, have served or will serve in the military, I thank you.
Dr. Michael Swickard is co-host of radio talk show News New Mexico 6 to 9 a.m. Monday - Friday on KSNM-AM 570 in Las Cruces and throughout the state through streaming. His email is: michael@swickard.com
