Peace is a Relative Term
This is Steven Petrick posting.
Yesterday was a day set aside to remember those who have served our nation in times of travail. I cannot say in times of conflict because that is not true. Almost every day of our nation's history we have been served by the members of our armed forces in conflicts when the political body thought we were at peace.
Whether it was members of our nascent Marine Corps being clandestinely landed on the coast of Florida to conduct operations designed to destabilize the Spanish colonial government in the early 1800s, or serving to protect our interests in South America in the 1900s, or trudging through the North African desert in pursuit of our policy against the Barbary pirates.
Whether it was members of our Air Forces clandestinely dropping supplies to anti-communist groups in South East Asia, or patrolling the limits of the Iron Curtain.
Whether, with peace declared at the end of the "Great War" it was forgotten elements of the Army guarding supplies in the frozen north of the nascent Soviet Union or the on the far eastern interior of that nation, or patrolling the DMZ in Korea after the cease-fire had been declared.
Whether they faced Native American tribes defending their own way of life from the encroaching plow, spade and panning tools of American citizens determined to claim the west.
Many men and some women have given their lives during times of "peace." Some due to acts of aggression (two officers killed by North Koreans while on a tree trimming operation), or large scale tragedy (the plane crash at Gander, Newfoundland) when returning home from a mission completed (which can also encompass the Sultana disaster).
Most Americans do not realize that those that protect them cannot rest their vigilance even in times of "peace." We will always have enemies out there, and will always rely on the valor and steadfastness of those who strive to keep harm and war's devastation from our shores, often at the cost of life or limb.
So do not remember them just on Memorial Day. On any given day a member of the U.S. Armed forces may be facing enemy action, even though the politicians will tell you we are at "peace."
Yesterday was a day set aside to remember those who have served our nation in times of travail. I cannot say in times of conflict because that is not true. Almost every day of our nation's history we have been served by the members of our armed forces in conflicts when the political body thought we were at peace.
Whether it was members of our nascent Marine Corps being clandestinely landed on the coast of Florida to conduct operations designed to destabilize the Spanish colonial government in the early 1800s, or serving to protect our interests in South America in the 1900s, or trudging through the North African desert in pursuit of our policy against the Barbary pirates.
Whether it was members of our Air Forces clandestinely dropping supplies to anti-communist groups in South East Asia, or patrolling the limits of the Iron Curtain.
Whether, with peace declared at the end of the "Great War" it was forgotten elements of the Army guarding supplies in the frozen north of the nascent Soviet Union or the on the far eastern interior of that nation, or patrolling the DMZ in Korea after the cease-fire had been declared.
Whether they faced Native American tribes defending their own way of life from the encroaching plow, spade and panning tools of American citizens determined to claim the west.
Many men and some women have given their lives during times of "peace." Some due to acts of aggression (two officers killed by North Koreans while on a tree trimming operation), or large scale tragedy (the plane crash at Gander, Newfoundland) when returning home from a mission completed (which can also encompass the Sultana disaster).
Most Americans do not realize that those that protect them cannot rest their vigilance even in times of "peace." We will always have enemies out there, and will always rely on the valor and steadfastness of those who strive to keep harm and war's devastation from our shores, often at the cost of life or limb.
So do not remember them just on Memorial Day. On any given day a member of the U.S. Armed forces may be facing enemy action, even though the politicians will tell you we are at "peace."
posted by Federation Commander at 4:19 PM
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