NEVER FORGET (Actually, I can't!)

I can’t handle the beautiful, unique sound of the bagpipes—I always breakdown with a great deal of raw emotion. As a former U.S. Marine and present-day minister, I’ve experienced far too many funerals and memorial-services that have left me with a permanent psychic-injury of sadness, loss and grief to last me a lifetime.
However, yesterday, for all of Sunday services, as the bagpipes commenced our tribute and commemoration of Memorial-Day, bracing myself, head down and deep breathing, and awaiting the cascade of involuntary tears, this time, however, its melodic sounds brought me into a state of resilient hope, resolve and an overt sense of patriotism. I’ve always been patriotic and proud of this country of ours. But yesterday the services evoked an emotional and powerful element of steadfastness in my heart of hearts that I’ve not felt in many years.

Etched onto the wall of a sentry box in Gibraltar is an unsigned indictment from an unknown soldier:
“God and the soldier, all men adore
In time of danger and not before,
When the danger is passed and all things righted,
God is forgotten, and the soldier slighted.”

Like the Vietnam War, I am afraid too many U.S. folks today are neither considerate nor caring about our current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. A recent poll indicates that two-thirds of Americans think that Iraq is not worth fighting for; and three-quarters say the government is not doing enough to help returning vets.

According to a new Rand Corp. study, one in five vets suffer from major depression or posttraumatic stress (PTSD); more than 300,000 have suffered traumatic brain injury.
Four hundred thousand veterans are waiting for medical/emotional treatment cases to be processed. The number seeking assistance for homelessness is up a whopping 600% in the past year. The attempted-suicide numbers, squelched by the VA in its care, some say, is about 12,000.

I believe that it doesn’t matter what is our political posture is on the conflict. The fact remains: American boys are dying. Others are maimed for life. The thousands of returning war veterans, needing jobs and moral support, are getting neither. Like my Vietnam brethren, these modern-day warriors, young men still, will no doubt end up in our penal system or homeless, on the streets of our large American cities. Why?

I would like to make a difference. I don’t know how. But I know the bagpipes ‘spoke to me’ yesterday. As a pastor and conference-speaker, I am going to take advantage of my platforms and exploit podiums to herald the invaluable need for Americans to help its returning war veterans.

Memorial Day was designed to honor dead soldiers; the other 364 days belong to the living.