History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. -Dwight D. Eisenhower
Mitch Albom is a polarizing figure in my home state. The long time writer for the Detroit Free Press is very hit or miss in my opinion. He's without a doubt a great writer. A couple of his books, "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "Five People You Meet In Heaven" are two of my favorite books of all time. Personally though, I am not a fan of Mitch. I think his sports opinions are complete garbage and lack quality substance. However his human interest pieces are often my favorite daily reading material.
On Sunday, March 24, he wrote a piece that stuck with me the last 24 hours.
Vietnam Vet Deserves A Friendlier Farewell
I am proud of my service with the United States Army. I have served with some wonderful men and women and we have accomplished some great things. However there are some worries that I have about my future, and that of my fellow service-members.
Glorification of alcohol
I love a good beer. I love great whiskey on the rocks as well. Sometimes I even have one more drink than I should. However, the glorification of alcohol in our ranks is dangerous. The barracks that the majority of our soldiers live in more closely resembles Division St. in East Lansing on the Saturday night after a football game. Our job is a stressful one. Many of our soldiers have deployed and been through some intense combat or career driven stress. These stresses are all too often taken out on a bottle.
The glorification of alcohol in the military is part of the reason veterans turn to the bottle. We glorify it. Our leaders joke about it. But it's not a joke. It destroys some military careers, and it destroys potential for post military careers as well.
Lack of Post-Military Preparedness
In addition to the glorification of alcohol, the biggest risk facing our service-members is apathy towards the military, and a lack of a plan for post-service life. There are a lot of programs designed to help soldiers find quality employment after their term of service. There are also education programs designed to help educate them and provide them with higher quality opportunities in the civilian sector. However very rarely do soldiers take these options seriously.
I mean let's be honest...after serving in the military, sitting in a classroom or doing a boring 9-5 job is just that...boring. We're proficient warriors and then we're expected to all of a sudden do a modest job and be just a normal person? I just fought the Taliban and now you want me to listen to a lecture on organic chemistry?
In the military everything is structured. The department of defense pays for our housing, they pay for our food. They provide us day to day structure and a comfortable life for us and our families.
However what happens when a kid who joined the military at 18 then leaves the military at 22 or 25? He/she has not known anything other than having everything provided for them. They know little about planning a budget or financing a vehicle. Do they understand tax brackets, mortgages or how to select find quality health insurance? They have certain skills that may or may not translate to a civilian career. However they have missed out on a fundamental part of personal development--taking on real world responsibilities and growing into an adult. Insead they were bred into adulthood as soldiers. They were tasked with great responsibilities, but they had nothing to do with the responsibilities of the civilian world. The responsibilities of a soldier are unparalleled, but they do not prepare soldiers for life after the uniform.
World's Greatest Generation to the Forgotten Generation
The generation that wore the stars and stripes in World War II has been labeled "The Greatest Generation." In many ways they were. They fought in arguably the most famous war in history against the greatest tyrant and produced some of the finest leaders this world has ever known. People my age grew up listening to the stories of our grandparents who were a part of that generation. I have heard stories about "welcome home" parades and readily available well paying jobs waiting for them when they returned from war.
So what is the legacy of the veterans that fought in Vietnam? Are they the "forgotten generation?" As I was preparing to join the Army I traveled with my father to Fort Knox, Kentucky. He attended basic training there many years ago. I was looking forward to going to basic training as well. We were drawn there by an event in June 2010 that was billed as "The welcome home you have long deserved." There was a parade to welcome home" more than a thousand Vietnam era veterns. You see, when my father returned home from Vietnam he was not greeted with parades or readily available jobs. It was a different world. It was a different time. Politics trumped patriotism.
It is a theme that is alive today. I think almost all Americans believe they are patriotic. But often times these patriotic feelings are too connected to the persons political ideals. Patriotism should not be about being conservative or liberal. It should be about being American. We've been at war for 12 years now, so of course there is some apathy towards our government, but never should it be directed towards our military. I am afraid that my generation of veterans will now fall into that same category of forgottenness that the veterans of the Vietnam War fell into.
Back to the Article
Mitch Albom's story about Sam is a tragedy. It is unfortunate that a soldier who sacrificed so much for this country so long ago fell into a tough situation in life and could not get the help he needed to regain control. I hope the structure provided by our military today does not ultimately hurt our current soldiers like I fear it may. I applaud Mitch Albom for stepping up for the dignity of this veteran and his right to an honorable military burial. The life of Sam in my opinion is not defined by his living in poverty or his troubles with alcohol, but with the honorable service to his country some 50 years ago. Finally Sam will get the dignified salute for his service that he rightfully deserves.
Until next time...
Chris
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