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“Each man’s war is separate and personal unto himself, and is exactly not like that of any other”.   Commander R. Cawthon, 2^nd Battalion, 116^th Infantry Regiment

As we think of our Veterans on their day, we realize that there always seems to be some type of conflict, somewhere in the world. War is as old as civilization itself. Even in the Bible, there are stories of wars, which were constantly going on.

We do our best to solve problems by negotiating, but let’s face it, sometimes it just cannot be done. No one wants to, but sometimes you just have to stand and fight. This does bring to mind one very poignant fact, that nothing in this life is free. Everything comes with a price. However, some things are just more expensive than others and some things are priceless. Our ancestors fought for our freedom and to build this country. It is now our watch and we must do the very best that we can to preserve our way of life.

The reasons that our young folks join the military are as varied as they are. Some want to feel that they can make a difference in the world. They want to make it a better place just because they were here. Then, there are those who have an insatiable love for adventure. They want to see far-away places and experience other types of life styles. Still, others see it as a chance to learn valuable skills that can be used to make a good living in the future. Then, others find that they like the military life. They love working with machinery and weapons that are like no other on earth.

It is probably safe to assume that when young folks go to war, they really don’t know what it is like. No amount of training and experience in war games can prepare you totally for facing the enemy. He is someone who is shooting at you with real, live ammunition and deep feelings of animosity. Therefore, many ask themselves if they will have the courage to face the enemy down when that time comes. Almost always, a certain fire from within takes over and the military person, with all of their weapons and prowess, valiantly fight back.

During these life and death struggles, soldiers bond together in a manner that is like no other that they will ever experience, because this situation means putting your life on the line.

However, one thing that all Veterans have in common is when they gather, they love to share their experiences. When they are asked about their days in military service, most have a tremendous number of stories to tell. Some are very colorful tales about fun times, with buddies which they will never forget. Others are of getting along on canned meals and rationing.

There are those stories which make your heart pound faster and your hair stand on end. There are tales of endless shelling during the night or walking through a jungle where snakes and leeches live in abundance and the threat of diseases is more prevalent than the enemy.

Some are on the lighter side. One veteran recalls when in training, he was ordered by his sergeant to quickly reassemble his rifle. However, when he presented the weapon, all of the parts fell out. He ended up washing tanks for a while. Some veterans recall adopting a pet, a creature that would remind them of home and would be sort of a comfort during the long, dark nights.

Then there are the sad, lonely experiences, terrible tales of lost limbs and sight as well as lost lives. These are the kind of memories that nightmares are made of. Happenings, which not only debilitate the body but the spirit as well. While others have sad and lonely experiences, some have left a deep and lasting impression, so horrible, that they cannot speak of what they have endured.

Every branch of the service has its own special bad dreams to deal with. The Army and the Marines “camp” all the time, in rain, snow, extreme heat or excessively dry conditions. Their tent is home, and it seems no war is ever fought under ideal conditions. There are either mountains of snow and ice or jungles of mosquitoes and rot. Mostly, they will see the enemy up close and personal and have some hard decisions to make.

For the Navy, home may be the cramped quarters of a submarine, deep under the ocean. Here if you spring a leak, you may never see the sky again. Other war ships are shelled or torpedoed and in World War II, they had the Japanese suicide pilots crashing into them. As if this is not enough, the weather can whip up the ocean into waves of unbelievable size. If you lose your ship, you are left adrift in hundreds of miles of ocean, where it is constantly cold and wet, no food and no shelter from the sun. You may be burned from the wreckage, or be in an area where sharks are prevalent. Any way you look at it, none of it is settling.

When the Air Force man is in trouble, he has nowhere to go but down! Thousands of feet down! No question about it. Where you land can be dangerous, too, like a place behind enemy lines or hanging in a tree, your parachute making you an irresistible target. You may break bones and be unable to walk. Another fact of war, which makes combat hard for the Air Force fighter, is that they never see the enemy that is on the ground. For some, it is an acceptable part of the career. For others, it is a haunting experience.

We have waged wars for all kinds of reasons. There have been cold wars and wars for freedom and wars for power and land. Most of these conflicts end with the “bad guys” being overthrown. However, in more recent times there seems to be no set rules and so sure winner. There is always the threat of a nuclear holocaust and some countries are flagrantly using the outlawed chemical weapons on innocent citizens, or terrorism on civilians.

I am pretty sure that we haven’t any Veterans from World War I, alive today. Even the Veterans of World War II, are dwindling in numbers. However, we have Veterans from Korea and Vietnam. Now, we also have added a new generation of Veterans, most of which are not even 30 years old yet. Iraq and Afghanistan have produced this generation of warriors. They are as brave as their fathers and grandfathers and great grandfathers and on back.

Today’s wars are very technical and sophisticated. We have come a long way from the crossbow and armor. We are also a far cry from the first iron-clad submarines and the no-radar situation. Our technology has made it possible to track the enemy from far away just by using his body heat and satellites. Today warriors are learning advanced technologies in guns and in machinery. We have unmanned drones that can fly up and bomb the target without putting a man at risk. Future conflicts are seen as ones where you never leave home. You can fight the enemy by computers. We can destroy armies. We can destroy our world.

However, the population below is in grave danger. It seems as though there are not any honorable, clear cut battle lines and that civilians are at more risk than ever before.

However, the modern soldier does have two extra caveats. They are very tech savvy and the medial treatment available has become more successful in saving lives. Also, there is more understanding of what a soldier is facing. But, I don’t believe that all of this makes war any easier, just different.

America is blessed in so many wonderful ways, but perhaps the most wonderous are her folks. When the chips are down and we need to defend our way of life, we have always been able to count on the courage of our soldiers. We have a growing number of Veterans that are women, who also fight on the front lines, right along with their male counterparts.

To me, no Veteran needs to have won medals or be decorated in gold bars. They are all heroes. They are brave young men and women, who have left the comfort of their homes and the protection of their families, in order for their country to be free from terrorists and harm. They come from every corner of America, be it a big city or a quiet rural farm.

However, a military person is not an island unto itself, for when you are in the military, the family is part of it, too. The wife or husband becomes both the mother and the father for an extended time. Each is called upon to try to keep a normal family life for the sake of the children.

In the military family, it is common for everyone to be uneasy and scared at times. However, the military families look out for each other. There is help and support from other wives, and husbands, as well as mothers and fathers. One thing is for sure, you do learn how to pray and put your life and the life of your loved ones in God’s hands.

We who are at home, try hard to put ourselves in the position of the soldier, who is living with danger every day. We try to be aware of what our warrior is going through. We try to empathize with those loved ones that are not at home. However, our scope is very limited because we are so very far from the battle fronts.

I know that recently terrorists have brought the battles to our very shores. They have infiltrated and tried to do it in such a way as not to be detected. Unfortunately, at times, they get away with their dirty deeds. However, most of the time, they are discovered and arrested. They are punished both by the law and then later, by the all-powerful judge, God.

Some soldiers have worked hard to put the ghosts that haunt them to sleep by drawing or writing poetry and stories. While doing the research for one of the stories that I wrote on the War Between the States, I came across a most poignant book of poetry, that was written by a Southern Prisoner of War from Georgia. He called himself Duce O’Klubs. His real name was Colonel W. McRae, of the 67^th Georgia Infantry. He soothed the loneliness in his soul for his Georgia home by writing poetry.

Colonel McRae was not the only poet amongst the thousands of men that came and went from prison. In the Smithsonian Institute, there are many copies of poetry and stories that these men wrote, which have been placed in this library. Without a doubt, home was the most popular subject.

Homemade cookies, goodies, perfumed letters from their sweethearts, and short but precious notes from their children, were all popular topics near and dear to their hearts. While thinking about that War, which took place so long ago, and of all of the others that have taken place since as well, and even the ones going on now, these feelings of home have remained the same.

Here is a poem from Georgian Duce O’Klub’s. I think that it will touch your heart.

“Take me home, to the place where the little ones sleep.

My father lies buried close by.

On the graves of my loved ones, I long to weep and among them, to rest when I die.

I think with regret, of the dear home I left, of the warm hearts that sheltered me, and the little ones of whom I am bereft.

Oh, I sigh for the old places again.”

I could not find anything out about Colonel McRae’s fate and if he made it back home. However, we can pray that he did.

What can we do to bring about peace? We can put ourselves in God’s powerful hands, and pray.