This Memorial Day Weekend as I helped plant flags at the graves of veterans I once again reflected on the extremely high price of Freedom. As I pushed a long screwdriver into the soil next to each veteran headstone so as to make the hole into which I placed a fresh, bright flag, I wondered how many had actually died in battle. Some, of course, died after their military service. Some never saw combat, never put their lives directly on the line. Nonetheless, all died having served, and all are worthy of honor and remembrance. I paused and slowly read the name of each next to whom I planted a flag and silently thanked them.
Pondering the question I asked myself about the number of veterans who died in battle, I later found the following infographic which I share as it provides a definitive answer:
As I drove home after participating in the solemn and dignified activity, I thought to myself that there have been many civilians as well, deserving of the honor I had accorded the veterans in that cemetery.
I recalled, for example, my visits over the years to C.I.A. headquarters in Langley, VA. On the north wall of the lobby in the “original” headquarters building are the memorial and iconic stars of those Agency employees who died in the line of service. My understanding is that most were members of the paramilitary arm of the Special Activities Division of the operations directorate (now the National Clandestine Service). When I first visited the Agency in the early 1970’s there were a handful of stars on the wall. Over the years the number kept growing. When I last visited, a couple of years ago, there were over 130. It seemed to me that they too should be listed among the veterans who either died in battle or at a minimum, among those who died while in the service of our country. They too, most certainly, are deserving of the honor and respect we accord to deceased veterans.
And this made me think of the countless other civilians who have taken the oath to defend the Constitution: law enforcement officers, first responders and volunteers of all kinds, and, I regret to have to add, even politicians for whom I have an almost universal disdain.
I wish I could say that ALL who have taken the oath are worthy of the honor we accord veterans on Memorial Day. Many are, but I’m afraid that today there is evidence in plain sight of many who have violated their oath and in my opinion, are guilty of treason. And there are some, never having either served or taken the oath who are worthy not of praise but of the most emphatic scorn. You know who they are.
But back to the honoring of those who DO live up to the oath they’ve taken. Patriots, lovers of freedom, defenders of liberty, in service to their fellow citizens… there a MILLIONS of American civilians who deserve to be honored for their stalwart support of the Constitution. Some have even tragically given their lives in its defense.
Some who valiantly served may not readily be apparent or ever come to mind. For example, there are bankers (yes, bankers) who served by getting involved in financial transactions to facilitate the development of military hardware and services, and businessmen and women who worked with intelligence agencies to provide information useful to counter terrorism or counter espionage activities. There were business executives who never served in uniform but who led or worked for organizations that developed and supplied material and services that gave us a competitive military edge over our adversaries. While it is tempting to assume that these people were simply performing their duties as employees for a paycheck, I know from firsthand experience that many did so with a conscious effort to support our country’s constitution and its defense.
It is to the civilians who have died in the service of our country in addition to the veterans that I extend my gratitude and offer my respect and admiration this Memorial Day.
May God bless them and their families forever.
And may God bless America.