On Veterans Day, we have a special commemoration with the 5th through 12th grade students reflecting on those serving presently in our armed forces and those who have laid down their lives for our freedom. This year, Sgt. Malcolm West spoke to the students. Malcolm is a friend and I prayed for him during his tour in Iraq. His daughter, Edith, was born while her daddy was away at war. Here is the speech:
Good morning, my name is Sergeant West with the Pennsylvania National Guard. I joined the United States Army on my 18th birthday, thinking that this was my first decision as an adult. Many have made this decision before me, and many will make it after. And before most of you and I were born, many have had that decision made for them. Today honors everyone who has made that decision; Today honors everyone who must live with that decision; And today honors all those who in various ways who have sacrificed because of that decision.
As we just heard, today marks the end of World War I. The Great War, as it has been called, was a war of massive scale, with unprecedented lethality of modern weapons and a vast numbers of casualties. And as this war's name also reminds us, there would soon be second. In such great wars and even in minor conflicts, the United States has been there and has asked for the modern qualitative of the idyllic medieval knights. Indeed your nation's military brandish the most advanced and innovative technology, tactics and techniques known to man. And for all you that have played Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: 1, 2 and now this week 3 know, we have a lot of cool toys. And we will continue to adapt to overcome [as we say in the Army] to new challenges and new threats.
After being in the military eleven years, it is amazing to see how the Army has changed... I joined prior to Sept 11th. and when I was in the Active Duty, in the Infantry, we focused mostly on woodland combat, with only a few Military Operations in Urban Terrain or MOUT training events throughout the year.
But today, every soldier, in every job title, knows how to do a four man stack and clear a room. Today, every soldier can be the gun bunny standing in most exposed and deadliest position on a Humvee, manning the machine gun turret. Today every soldier learns how to spot a roadside bomb. We now award the Combat Action Badge, because so many non-combatant in the military have engaged directly with the enemy.
And behind all such armor, the badges, the cool equipment, the training, there must first be dutiful and loyal knights. Those who can contain as a single individual, the paradox of fighting as peacemakers. Because with such power, with such capabilities, comes a huge responsibility and expectation. Likewise, the United States demands military men and women fight effectively yet appropriately; passionately yet justly... and always in a principled and professional manner. In a word, we expect our military to fight honorably. The American veteran, some your very friends and family members, are such individuals; Individuals of distinction, of courage and of honor.
Individuals that have taken up arms, not on behalf of themselves, but on behalf of this country and its God ordained responsibilities for civil order and justice. They are those who have made the decision to protect this land from all threats, foreign and domestic. This is never an easy task; their are many life changing hurdles and sacrifices, on and off the battlefield.
In the National Guard, I have seen my own friends go two, three and four time to Iraq or Afghanistan. What was a part-time job, a part-time obligation, quickly becomes a full-time commitment. I was a full-time college student, my wife pregnant with our first child, when I was called to Iraq. She gave birth without me. I missed the first year of my daughter's life and my amazing wife was left to raised her daughter alone. But my family only dealt with this once.
And while certainly, families can lose their loved ones in combat, during my deployment we lost two soldiers just as equally jarring and equally as sad, I have seen my own friends and their families destroyed by such tiring, stressful and often numerous deployments. Some family's lose their soldiers. Some soldiers lose their family. Yet, this nation's brave military and their equally heroic families, carry on and continue the mission in face of even these difficulties.
This is our job... our duty as American veterans. And we have and will continue to strain, weather and grieve under such personal losses and the possibility of such losses. And somehow, we will go on.
Personally, I know my family was and is held together by Christ's care and provision; and by my church (here in Lancaster county) and it was their prayers and support too. For that, my family and I are forever grateful. And so likewise, today I urge you, as Paul urged Timothy, pray for all those in authority and especially pray for all those who bear and have borne the responsibility of your society's sword.
You may honor your nation's veterans by remembering their sacrifices. You may honor your nation's veterans by thanking them, but you will truly honor their lives by how you live your own. You have been born into an amazing country, with unique and exceptional opportunities. Do not squander the freedoms afforded you from this country. Do not squander God given gifts and personal talents. Instead follow the example of these veterans, serve others, serve your nation and most importantly serve your God.
For the best warrior is the Christian warrior. And I challenge you to continue in that fight.
Here again the Apostle Paul to Timothy expresses the duty of all Christians in just two words: godliness and dignity. If we all live that, if we all strive for that, in whatever station in life, none of our nation's veterans will have served and sacrificed in vain.
Thank you.
