‘MERICA!

I am personally incredibly proud to be an American. I think that we all need to take a few seconds each day and remember that we live in a country where having an opinion is not only legal, it’s encouraged. We have the right to vote, the right to think freely, the right to practice whatever religion we wish, the right to own weapons to protect ourselves, the right to study whatever we wish to study, and so many other things. I think a lot of people take it for granted.

As a woman, I’m not required to register for the draft, something that I am really thankful for. I’m one of those people who don’t know how to shoot a gun, can’t run more than a mile, and sure as hell can’t do a pull-up. I’m not properly equipped to fight for our country.

You may be wondering what brought all this up. Well, I was putting something into Brian’s wallet the other day and he had his selective service registration card. It really made me think about how many people I know who have voluntarily stepped up to serve our country, and the level of dedication, selflessness, and pride that they must feel in order to stand above the rest of us and lay down their lives in such a way.

I’ve known many people who have served in the military. My godmother’s son Carson (Marines), his father Jeff (Marines), my grandpa Ken (Marines/Navy), my grandpa Lee (Army), Brian’s brother Shawn (Navy), and many members of my high school. It is because of these people that there is not a draft in our country. The dedication and courage of others has allowed our country to move away from drafting soldiers. The people who are abroad and at home fighting for our country are doing so because they have a greater calling for freedom. They do more than sing the Star Spangled Banner on the fourth of July, set of fireworks, and say the Pledge of Allegiance. For them, being an American is their life.

So why are there so many people who aren’t thankful for the service that our military is doing? The horrors that our service men and women have seen have left them scarred, emotionally and physically. They return home and require years, even decades, of therapy to deal with the scars left by battle. Instead of supporting them, we too-often do not get them enough of the help that they need in order to adjust to civilian life once their service is complete. In my opinion, people see the need to cut the military budget because they don’t think that we need to be fighting as many wars as we have been.

I say keep the military budget, and I’ll tell you why.  Instead of putting the majority of the funding into weapons and fighting, allocate more of the funding to troops who are returning home and in need of readjustment. These men and women have spent time away from their families, spent time in the hospital, and spent years training to defend our country. When they return home, adjusting to civilian life must be a nightmare! Imagine being told what time to go to sleep, what time to wake up, when and what you eat, when you work out, and so many other things, and then all of a sudden, it stops. You no longer have a schedule. You have been in a war zone for months and seen things that very few of us can even dream of. These soldiers, these heroes, need our support. They need therapy without having to worry about having to pay for it. They need help adjusting to civilian life, finding a job, living what we see as a “normal” life.

Too often, our heroes return home and do not receive enough therapy in order to fully re-adjust to civilian life. I’ve been in therapy. It’s super expensive. These men and women have served our country, and now we need to serve them at home.

I know many people don’t agree with the wars we have fought, especially abroad in Iraq and now in Afghanistan. I respect the opinions of others in terms of fighting abroad, but I also must ask them to show respect for our soldiers either way. Just because you don’t support the war doesn’t mean you shouldn’t support our men and women giving up their lives for what they believe in.

So, the next time you feel the need to criticize the war, remember that every person who loses their life is someone’s son, daughter, brother, sister, mother, father, aunt, uncle, or cousin who has given up their life for the safety of others. They fight for the freedoms that we so often take advantage of. Also remember that we are not simply fighting wars oversees, but at home as well. For every police officer, firefighter, EMT, member of the National Guard, and many more, remember that they risk their lives to keep us safe.

“This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.” – Elmer Davis