A Few Thoughts on Veterans Day

by Tony Chavira

Lots of people are asked to do a lot of things that many of us cannot expect to understand over the course of our lives. Some are asked to take the fall for their bosses, some are asked to be brave and take a stand for what's right, some are asked to take back their unfaithful spouses, some are asked to swallow their pride and let someone else take control, and some are asked to put their lives on the line for strategic goals that many of us may not agree with.

The personal and professional sacrifices our military servicepeople make in the line of duty are unfathomable to those of us who aren't asked to make those kinds of sacrifices. Its easy to read articles and visualize the military as a large machine full of cogs, maybe even as a gigantic gun that can be pointed to whoever our elected officials deem a threat. However you may feel about any war anywhere in the world, the reason for fighting changes when you step back for a moment and consider just what a single soldier is trying to do.

I can guarantee you that the individuals serving in our military are doing it for the safety and security of their loved ones. Larger political agendas don't matter when you're on the ground. What matters are safety, security and unity. Ultimately, the sacrifices they’re willing to make—almost literally out of selflessness—deserve more than just a single day of gratitude, but these people, our friends, need to know that we appreciate them for those ideals and the security they want to provide thanklessly. They're still people, they need housing, jobs, safety, family, community. And maybe they need it more than the rest of us do: they need to see fruits of their efforts. They need to see that we appreciate that they were actually willing to end their lives if the situation called for it to guarantee that we can work, buy frozen blended coffees, go to church, eat out when we feel like it, date who we want, marry who we want, and raise our families the way we want.

When a soldier dies, they're doing it for everyone. Personally, I'd rather they not have to die, and I don't believe that anyone has the right to ask them to die (let alone command it). But that's not the reality of the world. The reality is that good people are willing to concede their lives for good intentions. So if you're a veteran, I want you to know how much I appreciate the amazing risk you were willing to make. Assuming we only have one life to live, the depth of your commitment to the ones you care about is too immense to be measured or taken lightly.

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