Wednesday - March 23, 2005
Those Who Serve
The
two men were talking to each other, and to their unseen audience. They were
talking about those who risk their lives in the military to keep the country
safe. They both expressed the obligatory platitudes, the nice things you're
supposed to say about those in the military. There was nothing to indicate
insincerity, they seemed genuinely in admiration of people who march toward the
sound of cannon.
But then they ruined
it by showing a complete misunderstanding of what they were admiring. After
saying how wonderful these men were, they then denigrated themselves and
confessed that they could never do such a thing, and they laughed, each at the
other, pointing out that it's a good thing they weren't in the military, for the
sake of the military.
They just don't
understand.
Except for those who are physically incapable of
being in the military, due to health or mental reasons, there is nothing to
prevent anyone from being in the infantry. There are some elite units that have
slightly higher standards of fitness, but in general any healthy male can be an
infantryman.
There's no special
personality. There's no special hardness. There's no special
calling.
The men in the Marine Corps
infantry are just men. All types. Big, small. Smart, dumb. Lazy, energetic.
Outgoing, shy. Verbose, laconic. Coarse, refined. Vulgar,
pious.
I've seen all kinds get through
officer candidates school or boot camp. There are no requirements that any
average man can't accomplish if he is healthy and he doesn't
quit.
That's all it takes, heart. It
takes an intelligent desire to do what is needed to get the job done.
So when I hear some yahoo saying that
it's a good thing he wasn't in the military, for the military's sake, I conclude
that he really doesn't understand the makeup of the people who are in the
military. They aren't superhumans, they aren't special genetic mutants. They
are you. They are the guy next to you. They are those two men talking to the
audience.
And that's what's special
about them. They don't have special abilities, yet they are there.
They don't have some genetic
fear-suppressant. Yet they are
there.
It somehow cheapens their
bravery when someone implies that these Marines are somehow of a different
stock. It's that they are the same that makes them special. It is their
decision to forego safety, comfort, and society despite being regular people
that is special.
I watch the men in
my battalion. Some are goofy. Some are serious. Some are followers, some are
leaders. But they are all here, and when the bullets fly toward them they all
feel the same twist in their gut. But using their minds and their wills, they
run forward nonetheless.
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