Both of my grandfathers served in the military. One grandfather was in the Marine Corps. The other was an officer in the Army. Between them, they fought in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. My father also tried to enroll, but was turned away because of a heart murmur. Both of […]
Both of my grandfathers served in the military. One grandfather was in the Marine Corps. The other was an officer in the Army. Between them, they fought in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. My father also tried to enroll, but was turned away because of a heart murmur. Both of my grandmothers were absent from their husbands for months and years at a time, supporting their families and our country in other ways. All of them lost friends overseas, and all of them talked regularly about the sacrifices that our troops make on our behalf.
As a History major and Social Studies teacher, I recognize the stupidity, colonialism, and horrors of some of those military efforts. And I also was raised to respect our troops and the ideals that individual service members try to uphold, even when the people who send them into battle don’t reflect that same commitment in return. A lot of good men and women have been injured or killed on the orders of the wealthy and powerful, even as those same politicians would never think of enrolling their own family members in the military service.
As I watch our current administration’s pathetic, pointless, and dysfunctional military operations in the Middle East (yet again), I have been wondering all day about what my grandparents would think about all of this. This graphic probably sums it up.
For those of you who have friends or family in the service, may they come home safe and may we always remember the sacrifices that our troops make on our behalf, even when we disagree with the larger cause or the powers who have sent them into battle.
