Blaskovich Design

I wasn’t exposed to the military much as a kid, other than what Mr. Radke, my high school history teacher told stories about. Even those weren’t as memorable as when he would pick me up early for school in the driver’s ed car and then fall asleep while I just drove around until it was time to go to school. I’d wake him up and say “We’re back, Mr. Radke.” I’m pretty sure my brother said it was the same for him three years before me, except he claims we would wait until he fell asleep and go through the McDonalds drive through.

That’s not my point here, though. Times have changed since then, and I have become more aware of my place in the world. 9/11. Kosovo. Iraq. The U.S.S. Cole. Afghanistan. Rwanda… I could go on.

It’s not just American soldiers that should be thanked and remembered today. Men and women from all over the world sacrifice themselves for human greater good. It’s simply amazing. I always think of the stories of soldiers I read about in Tom Brokaw’s book, The Greatest Generation. I wonder if I could act as those before me did, given the same circumstances. I’d like to think so, but- how could you possibly know without really being put in those shoes? Would you jump on a grenade to save the three other guys in your foxhole or would you flinch hoping someone else might?

Many died to give us what what we have. Many more have been seriously injured, mentally and/or physically, and to me, just volunteering to put on the uniform makes them heros in my book.

I think this says just about everything.