Thought for the day: “Happy is he who dares courageously to defend what he loves.” -Ovid
Word for the day: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” -Joshua 1:9
Reflection: The most courageous men and women that I have ever met are active duty military and Veterans who have faithfully served. On Veterans Day we remember them. We honor them. We pay tribute to their fulfillment of duty. We remember those who served with them and made the Supreme Sacrifice for freedom by giving their lives in its defense, and we remember the families of all of those who have served our country. In July of 2005, while serving in Iraq, one of our battalion's company commanders gave a change of command speech that I will never forget. In his speech he said the following to his soldiers:
"When I look out there among you, I see my family. A family where it doesn’t matter if you are Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Private, NCO or Captain. We are all brothers born of the same womb. All willing to lay down our very lives for one another." A couple of months later, this courageous infantry commander, Captain Michael J. Mackinnon, did lay down his life for the cause of freedom. He was killed in an IED blast on 27 OCT 2005. Before he died, many of his soldiers, those he called his "family" surrounded him and prayed as he left this life and passed into eternity. So many brave men and women have paid a dear price for the freedoms that we enjoy. No one understands this like the Military Veterans of our country. They remember the sacrifices that so many have made, and they courageously carry their sacred stories.
Tomorrow take time to honor our Veterans. If you have a Veteran who is a family member, call or visit them and thank them for their service. The Veterans of our nation deserve our deepest and most sincere gratitude for their service and sacrifice in defending the freedoms we all enjoy.
Written By:
Chaplain (CPT) Lee Harms
Warrior Transition Battalion Chaplain
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