We Owe our Fallen Troops a Great Deal

America is a wonderful country.  Though I see our nation as a part of a global community, I also feel that there has never been a nation quite like the United States of America.  Having majors in both history and political science in my undergraduate studies left me deeply interested in both topics.  I read on average about two book each week and compare what I read to what  I see when I work and vacation in other countries.

There is simply no country in the history of the world that has done so much to help bring assistance to those in other lands.  Each and every time I return to the U.S. from a trip abroad, I have a deeper appreciations for the freedoms that have been paid for in sacrifice by our military personnel throughout the history of our nation.

From the soldiers who fought for our freedom, to those who fought to preserve and expand it during our horrible civil war, to those who died fighting in Europe, Africa, Italy, Asia, the Pacific and other regions during the most horrific wars of all time and to those who have fought since in Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and other places, a tremendous price has been paid for our freedoms and though we often forget to quickly, for the freedom of others around the world.

I recall a billboard that was on the highway that read “If you can read this, thank a teacher.  If you can read this in English, thank the 101st Airborne”.  Though a bit tongue in cheek, it is an accurate reflection of the role our military has played in making every other facet of our lives possible.

We should all feel a deep sense of pride, appreciation and sorrow for the loss of so many men and women during the long and difficult struggles over the course of American history.   Though we have not always achieved our national goals when military personnel have been sent into harm’s way, the world would be a far more brutal and horrific place if it were not for the sacrifices of our military personnel.

 

About Michael Dorn

Michael Dorn serves as the Executive Director of Safe Havens International, a non-profit school safety center. The author of 27 books on school safety, Michael’s campus safety work has taken him to 11 countries over the past 34 years.