Why We Celebrate: Our Annual Salute to the Military

Why We Celebrate: Our Annual Salute to the Military

May 19, 2016

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Jason E. Fort

There is a certain amount of respect you have to have for warriors; especially those warriors who put their lives on the line, of their own volition, for a cause much greater than themselves. I have always understood this, yet I never quite took that plunge, to be ready at a moment's notice, to pack up what I need to survive, leave my family behind, and go seek and destroy an enemy seen as a threat to our nation...and that is why I thought five years ago that it was so important for my son and I to celebrate those brave men and women, who HAVE taken that plunge; who have put themselves out there in harm's way, ready to defend a nation and take the fight to the enemy. Since I was not one of the few, the proud, willing to sacrifice time with family, I owe my ultimate respect to those who did. And five years ago, my son expressed interest in the Air Force, became a huge fan of WWII history, and we started a tradition.

My son has always been what I consider an old soul, born a few generations too late. His heart shows on his face when he talks about how he feels for WWII veterans. When he has met them in the past, his eyes showed wonder and awe. He understands what the greatest generation did when they took a stand against evil. He understands that Captain America mentality; that strange concept John F. Kennedy suggested when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." Whether my son accomplishes his goals and ambitions and becomes that drone pilot and aircraft engineer for the Air Force or not, he has this deep-rooted respect for honor and tradition, and he is the one that prompts me to give to this military donation or that one. He gets that the world in which we live is an ever-darkening place, and he sees that America has become much weaker and less respectable than she once was. But he and I both hold on to hope, because we know our history, and we know there are still patriots out there. And we both figure there is no better way to honor the ones that have gone before by paying respect and going out to learn as much as we can about the people who fought for the home of the brave. That is why we celebrate.

I am a police officer. Though some of my normal duties have changed, I still have those days where I go to work wearing a gun at my side, knowing that any given moment, some wolf who's crept into my beat could expose his teeth and go for my gun. Because of training, I can appreciate the action steps and mental mindset needed to react in those situations. Soldiers of course receive that kind of training and more. But I work in an environment and beat area that is somewhat controlled, heavily monitored, and necessary for people from all walks of life...so evil agendas don't find their way in through our doors near as often as - say - Islamic terrorist insurgents attempting to overrun some American contingent of soldiers or marines over in the Middle East. And I don't have to fly over an ocean to go meet some of the wolves I may encounter. I may have to fight the domestic enemy. But our veterans; our soldiers, and sailors, and marines, and airmen leave for days and months, thousands of miles away from their loved ones. And they take that training with them...and they hope and pray that the training is enough. They go to unsightly places, and hot places, and cold places, and places in which we have no business being - but they still go. They go in under fire and pull out injured comrades...and injured enemies - and they treat the injuries and move on to fight again. They understand the concept of following orders, and I pray this concept doesn't die as our older generations die...but America used to be known as a nation full of soldiers and protectors with true grit. And those protectors are why my son and I celebrate.

So here we are on the day of departure for our fifth annual father-son military trip. This year we are going with a dear and trusted friend who took that plunge and served for twelve years for the United State Marine Corps, and we're going with him to visit Parris Island. My friend Corey is a true warrior - a defender, who did three tours in Iraq as a US Marine, and I am so pumped he is joining us for this trip. Jay is excited, too, and after we watch a Boot Camp graduation and tour Parris Island, we're going to venture back where it all started for us and watch the Thunderbirds perform in an air show at Shaw Air Force Base. I pray God helps us remain true to the reasons behind this tradition. Besides the father-son bond that I will always cherish, I pray God helps us remember those brave men and women who have gone on to serve and die for their country. I pray my friend Corey can go and have fond memories of the beginnings of his journey, without having to remember too much of the ugly things that happened when he served. And I pray that my son comes back home with the same fervor and love for the military.

There will be excitement; there will be much fanfare; there will be boots so in-sync on the parade deck that you will think it is all one giant foot making the noise; there will be aircraft flying at the speed of sound; there will be brave men and women who serve their country - and we will celebrate.

Dueling Spirits Within

This poem reflects the thoughts I battle with when it comes to the threat of Islam. The opposing approaches are prevalent in my novels, to which in my head there seems no end. My main characters all represent one side of the coin or the other, as readers will discover, book by book. But this poem says exactly how I feel; it shows my dueling spirits within:


Dueling Spirits Within                        

Lord help me understand; please help me try to see
A peaceful resolution in this battle within me.

Do I pray for courage to stand against
The evil that crowds at our door?

Or do I pray for patience
And a mission field in which to explore?

Is the secret in holding on to our Bibles
With our guns at the ready?

Or do we stand firm in our faith;
Believe in God's timing, slow and steady?

Do we shout from the mountaintops,
"Their prophet is a fraud!?"

Or do we get down on our knees and pray?
For they're not the only ones who are flawed.

Do we pray for Your mighty angels
To come and cast them asunder?

Do we hold on to hope and wait
For you to cry out in a voice as loud as thunder?

Or should we get to know our enemy?
Should we try to help them see?

Can we point their eyes to You,
Show them Your meaning of victory?

Lord I confess I have struggled
With this dilemma of what to do.

Part of me wants to be protective...
But part of me wants to show them...You.

Lord, you left yourself open
To human hatred, and all our scorn.

We gave you whips and lashes;
We made you wear a crown of thorns.

The misinformed and the evil
Now prepare to come ashore.

Half the nation wants to make them feel welcome;
Welcome with open arms and open wide the door.

I am part of the other half;
I'd rather stay safe from harm.

I want to be the first warn the people
I want to raise the alarm.

Some of them are wolves in sheep's clothing;
Of that there is no doubt.

But does that justify my longing
To just say NO - STAY OUT.

I think I know the answer;
You even tell us how it all ends.

So whether we open ourselves up or not
It is your spirit that will win.

The protector within me says
Taking precaution is where it starts.

But instead perhaps we set our focus -
On their souls; on their hearts.

Godly Mothers

Do you remember when you were growing up, ever hearing your mother saying, "Don't forget your homework"?
What about "Don't forget to brush your teeth"?
Or "Don't forget your lunch money."

I remember hearing so many reminders from my mom, and thinking back when I was a kid, "Will she leave me alone already?" But it wasn't like she was trying to annoy me. My mom wanted me to remember these things because she loved me. She was trying to teach me to remember what was important. So where did our moms get this deep instinct to help us remember what's important?

My pastor this morning spoke about the Lord's Supper, and how Jesus said "Do this in remembrance of me."
He went on to say that if you look at it, God told us in as many ways as He could to never forget Him.
He told the Israelites not to forget Him when He gave them the Ten Commandments. He told His people not to forget Him whenever Israel gained a new king. He reminded prophets time and time again to tell His people to turn back to God when they had turned away. And of course He told us through His Son Jesus Christ. And just like we all forgot to take our lunch money every now and then, or forgot to do our homework...God's imperfect people have forgotten Him over and over.

And yet when you forgot to do those things, didn't your mom forgive you? Ironic that a mother's love and forgiveness - can be the perfect mirror of God's love for us. So much so, that God was so willing to forgive us, that He sent Jesus to die the death that all imperfect humans deserve, but no longer have to endure spiritually, as long as we believe.