Whoop Whoop Whoop!
Published by Mark Von Nida on May 29th, 2008
By Mark
For those of you didn’t get the Three Stooges reference in G.I. Oughta (imagine Moe saying it), John McCain gave a metophorical poke in the eye to Barack Obama. His snarky reference to Obama’s lack of service was supposed to bolster his position against the Webb G.I. Bill.
For the record, I am a veteran of the U.S. Navy. I joined during the Viet Nam era specifically because I wanted to go to college and I knew my parents couldn’t afford it. Since no one in my family had ever gone to college, I didn’t know what to expect or how to go about getting into a school. Frankly, I didn’t have the academic record, discipline or the maturity to go to a university straight out of high school.
So I gave four years to my country. I received plenty in return but probably most importantly, I got a chance to improve my prospect after I got out. It was a good trade off which I have never regretted. In fact, my son has just graduated from high school and he will depart for the Air Force in June.
On my previous post, a commenter complained that Democrats are characterizing veteran as victims. I don’t consider myself a victim and I certainly don’t think my son is going to be victimized. I think he is a patriot who has learned that we are a family that serves our country. I’m so proud I could pop!
What I hope is that my son’s commander in chief honors the sacrifice that he will make over the next four years. If he is in harms way it will be because our country will be better for it. Ultimately, a test of leadership is respect for the individuals in which one leads.
I question the effectiveness of a “Stop Loss” policy that limits opportunities after the service. It seems to me that it takes the sacrifice for granted at the same time it tells potential recruits we don’t care.
Education is a consideration for my son but duty and honor are the prime reasons for his enlistment. Lucky for us there a many Americans like him. We should be grateful.
Filed under Uncategorized
Leave a Comment (Your very first comment will be held for moderation.)