Last week, I was asked to be the Keynote speaker at the opening ceremony of the Healing Fields. I know this might be a bit long in blog format, but I hope you'll read it and think about someone who is a Veteran who is a hero to you. Try to capture the reasons why this person might be a hero to you and then, tell him or her.
Also, don't be afraid to show your pride in being a veteran. I suggest some easy ways to do just that in this talk. Enjoy.
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YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS ORIGINALLY ASKED TO BE HERE FOR THIS OPENING CEREMONY, I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS GOING TO BE INTRODUCED BY JIM HALL, WHOM I HAVE COME TO KNOW THRU THE WWII/KOREAN WAR VETS TO DC WORK WE DO. HE’S ON THAT COMMITTEE WITH ME AND ON OUR LAST TRIP, JIM WAS DOING THE MAIL CALL. WELL AFTERWARDS, WHILE HE HAD THE MICROPHONE, HE MENTIONED TO THE VETS THAT I WAS AN “FBC.” AFTER HE SAID THAT, HE LOOKED AT ME WITH THAT BIG, INFECTIOUS GRIN HE ALWAYS HAS AND NOTICED A STRANGE LOOK ON MY FACE AND HE WAS PUZZLED. I TOLD HIM THAT I HAVE BEEN IN THE ARMY FOR A LONG TIME AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, ANYTIME SOMEONE REFERS TO AN OFFICER WITH AN ACRONYM CONTAINING AN “F” IN IT, THAT USUALLY ISN’T SOMETHING GOOD. ALL OF YOU VETS KNOW ABOUT A “FUBAR” OR A “FNG.”SO RICH ….. THANKS FOR BEING SO KIND IN YOUR REMARKS.
SO HERE WE ARE, THIS EVENING, KICKING OFF A TRIBUTE TO AMERICANS WHO HAVE SERVED THEIR COUNTRY IN SOME CAPACITY OR ANOTHER DURING THEIR LIFE. THESE NEXT 10 DAYS ARE MEANT TO BE A TIME OF HEALING, RECOGNIZING HEROES, AND GIVING THANKS. I KNOW THIS IS A MULTI-FACETED CELEBRATION, BUT MY PERSPECTIVE IS FROM A MILITARY POINT OF VIEW.
I KNOW WE CERTAINLY HAVE MANY, MANY THINGS FOR WHICH TO BE THANKFUL, ONE OF WHICH IS THAT GOD CREATED US TO SEE THINGS IN COLOR SO WE CAN LOOK AROUND AND SEE THE BRILLIANCE OF THIS FIELD OF HONOR …. THE BEAUTY OF HIS CREATION HIGHLIGHTED AGAINST THE STRIKING CONTRAST OF THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE.
I AM CURIOUS. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THE HBO SERIES, “BAND OF BROTHERS.” IF YOU DID, YOU MAY REMEMBER ONE OF THE CLOSING SCENES WHERE DICK WINTERS WAS RECALLING SOME OF HIS MEMORIES AND HE SAID HIS GRANDSON ONCE ASKED HIM IF HE WAS A HERO. HE SAID, “NO, BUT HE SERVED IN THE COMPANY OF HEROES.”
WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE A COMPANY OF HEROES LOOKS LIKE? I SUSPECT THAT IT ISN’T MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THE COLLECTION OF VETERANS I SEE BEFORE ME.
SOMETHING I HAVE LEARNED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS WORKING WITH VETS FROM WWII AND KOREA AS WE TAKE THEM TO WASHINGTON TO SEE THEIR MEMORIALS … THEY TOO NEVER REFER TO THEMSELVES AS HEROES … MOST OF THE TIME, ACCORDING TO THEM, THEY WERE JUST DOING THEIR JOB, OR THEY WERE JUST THERE. IN FACT, THEY’RE OFTEN A BIT EMBARRASSED TO HEAR THIS KIND OF TALK. THEY NEVER CALL ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES AND DON’T ASK FOR A LOT FROM OTHER PEOPLE, EXCEPT MAYBE FOR SOME RESPECT, AND SOMEONE TO LISTEN TO THEM ONCE IN A WHILE.
I THINK THE REASON THESE GUYS AND GALS OFTEN FEEL THIS WAY IS BECAUSE THEY FAIL TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN HEROIC DEEDS AND HEROES.
· HEROIC DEEDS ARE THE THINGS LEGENDS ARE MADE OF …
HEROES ARE THINGS STRONG FAMILIES AND SOLID COMMUNITIES ARE MADE OF.
· HEROIC DEEDS ARE RECOGNIZED WITH RIBBONS AND MEDALS…
HEROES ARE RECOGNIZED BY SONS AND GRANDSONS … BY DAUGHTERS AND
GRANDDAUGHTERS..
YOU KNOW, YOU SURE DO GET SOME GOOD INSIGHTS INTO THE PAST WHEN YOU TALK TO THE VETS ON THESE TRIPS. ONE OF THE KOREAN WAR VETS ON ONE OF OUR RECENT TRIPS TOLD ME THAT HE WENT OFF TO KOREA AND FOUGHT THERE FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS. HE CAME HOME AND GOT OUT-PROCESSED ON A WEDNESDAY AND WENT BACK TO WORK THE FOLLOWING WEEK. WHEN HE WENT THAT FIRST DAY, HIS FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS SAID THEY HADN’T SEEN HIM FOR A WHILE AND WONDERED WHERE HE’D BEEN AND WHAT HE HAD BEEN UP TO. APPARENTLY THEY DIDN’T EVEN KNOW HE HAD BEEN GONE OR THAT HE HAD BEEN IN A WAR FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS. THIS MAN TOLD ME HE THEN PROCEEDED TO WORK FOR THAT COMPANY FOR THE NEXT 40 YEARS AND THEN RETIRED. HE THEN SAID TO ME: “PRETTY BORING STUFF, HUH.”
I SUSPECT HIS STORY IS TYPICAL OF A LOT OF VETERANS, FROM WWII TO TODAY. IT’S PROBABLY TYPICAL OF A LOT OF YOU IN THIS AUDIENCE TONIGHT.
HAVING SAID THAT, THOUGH, I THINK IT’S TIME THAT THE SENSE OF PATRIOTISM AND HONOR YOU MIGHT FEEL OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS IS TAKEN FROM THIS FIELD OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY. I THINK PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THE PRIDE YOU HAVE FOR HAVING SERVED … THE PRIDE YOU FEEL FOR BEING A PART OF THAT COMPANY OF HEROES. THE QUESTION IS THOUGH – WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS.
WELL, A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS AGO, THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PUT OUT A DIRECTIVE THAT WAS SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT THAT AUTHORIZED AND HIGHLY ENCOURAGED ALL VETERANS TO RECOGNIZE THE FLAG BY RENDERING A HAND SALUTE DURING THE PLAYING OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, OR WHENEVER SUCH ACTION IS APPROPRIATE -- SUCH AS WHEN A FLAG PASSES IN A PARADE.
THE DIRECTIVE ALSO PROVIDES FOR SALUTING DURING TAPS, REVEILLE, AND RETREAT. I THINK THE PEOPLE OF OUR COMMUNITIES WANT TO SEE IT AND NEED TO SEE US SHOWING OUR PRIDE AND OUR PATRIOTISM, ---
AND A VERY SIMPLE WAY TO START IS BY STANDING THIS FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE THE GAME WHEN THE BAND PLAYS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AND SALUTING THE FLAG. NOT A HAND OVER YOUR HEART – A SALUTE YOUR DRILL SERGEANT WOULD BE PROUD OF.
NO ONE IS GOING TO CALL YOU TO ATTENTION AND GIVE YOU AN ORDER --– YOU’LL HAVE TO DO IT ON YOUR OWN.
IF YOU DON’T --- IF YOU JUST STAND THERE AND DON’T DO IT-- -- WELL ----- YOU JUST DON’T , AND NO ONE WILL KNOW ANY DIFFERENT. THEY WON’T KNOW YOU WERE A VET.
BUT IF YOU DO -----------YOU’LL STAND OUT --- YOU’LL BE DIFFERENT FROM MOST OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU --- AT LEAST AT FIRST. UNTIL THE REST OF YOUR BROTHERS RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND JOIN YOU IN DOING WHAT HEROES HAVE ALWAYS DONE.
IT MAY NOT CATCH ON AT FIRST, AND YOU MIGHT FEEL A BIT AWKWARD OR EVEN EMBARRASSED – KINDA LIKE THOSE WWII AND KOREAN WAR VETS FEEL WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THEM AS BEING HEROES. BUT EVENTUALLY PEOPLE WILL TAKE NOTICE AND EVENTUALLY THEY’LL GET IT.
WELL IT HAS INDEED BEEN AN HONOR TO HAVE STOOD WITH YOU IN THE COMPANY OF HEROES TONIGHT. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS CELEBRATION OF PATRIOTISM OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS …… AND I HOPE YOU REMEMBER THE TWO TAKE-AWAYS FROM TONIGHT’S TALK:
1. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A PERSON WHO HAS DONE HEROIC DEEDS TO BE A HERO --- TO SOMEONE, AND
2. YOUR COUNTRY HUNGERS FOR YOU TO SHOW YOUR PRIDE AND PATRIOTISM AND TAKE YOUR PLACE IN THE COMPANY OF HEROES.
AND REMEMBER …… TO THOSE WHO COUNT ………… YOU WILL BE RECOGNIZED AS A HERO BY YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR LIFE, NEITHER OF WHICH HAS TO BE HEROIC.
HOOAH
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