the ultimate sacrifice in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Dear Lord, don’t let us lose our way, neglect the truth you’ve given us, or fritter away the life we enjoy. Keep us faithful until the end of our days here on earth. How we look forward to eternity with you in heaven.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7–8)
October 16
SHANE LOVED THE INFANTRY
In May 2007 we went to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for a memorial service where Shane was remembered. A large man stood up and related a story about one night in Iraq. According to the story, it was around 3 a.m., and tension had filled the team during an operation. Suddenly this same large non-commissioned officer cut through the tension when he said that he had heard Shane’s voice and he then knew everything was going to be okay. As this mountain of a man related his story at Shane’s memorial service, it warmed my heart. The fact that my son and the sound of his voice calmed this man meant a lot to me. Shane had a command presence wherever he was.
Shane was called up from the inactive ready reserve. He had not seen a uniform for five years. He and I had talked a few years back. He said that his practice was going so well and that he just didn’t have time to be in the reserves. We talked about it and I told him he had served his time and that he had completed his obligation honorably. When Iraq heated up, the military was stretched so thin that many reservists were called back into active service.
When Shane was in the eighth grade I sat him down, and we laid out a five-year plan. I asked him what he wanted to do with his life. He said he wanted to be an attorney. So we talked to the counselors at school, and I told him he might want to think about being an attorney in the military. I told him if he did twenty years in the military as a JAG officer he could get out and hang his shingle anywhere and still enjoy a nice retirement check every month. I’m a former Marine. But I told him I thought the Army was the way to go especially concerning the legal aspirations. And that’s how his time with the Army came to be.
When he went to college, he was in ROTC. He really liked the military environment; it suited him well. He was good at it. He liked the discipline and the structure. He became an instructor to other cadets. When it was time for him to be commissioned he had to put down his three top choices and one of them was the infantry. In 1997, I told him, “You’re not in the JAG core? What happened to our five-year plan?” He laughed and said, “Dad, when I practice law five days a week and then I go to the reserve, the last thing I want to do is lawyering.” His heart lay in the infantry. He loved the infantry. He never changed lanes. When he was called back up he went into a civil affairs unit.
Dear Lord, renew me in my inner man. May I act justly, love mercy, and walk humble with you throughout this life. And may I enjoy a wonderful welcome into heaven.
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
October 17
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE
Ronald Reagan once stated, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children what it was once like in the United States when men were free.”
Address to the annual meeting of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce March 30, 1961:
I work with a lot of kids. My wife and I go to Washington D.C. every spring. We take school groups around Washington to see our great capital. Our theme is that freedom is not free. When we get to the Korean Memorial you’ll see it written in stone, “freedom is not free.” We don’t want anyone to be killed in combat. Life is precious to us. Our serviceman’s lives are precious as is every life in our country babies, teenagers and adults. We value life. You can see the wheels turning in our student’s minds. They seem to grasp the concept that life is precious. It is never okay to die. But sometimes it’s necessary.
I enjoy the chance to explain to them our precious freedoms and how sacred the sacrifice paid for them is. There are many on this earth that would like to take it away from us. There’s also a jealousy when others see what we have. It is often very different than what they have. There’s also the unfortunate reality that sometimes we forget what was paid in sacrifice for these freedoms. It’s great to be able to share the values that we have. Our family has sacrificed for those values greatly.
Failure is not an option. Ronald Reagan’s wisdom is true for all democracies. It is only one generation away from extinction. In a matter of one generation, Iraq’s democracy will fall if we just walk away and leave Iraq without a stable democracy.
Dear Lord, please make me holy, eager to do what is good and right and just and true. Please redeem many millions more, turning them from darkness to light.
“Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:14)
October 18
ARMY VALUES: LOYALTY
Loyalty is one of those unique words that brings clarity and focus to circumstance. It is an enabling word that can help me separate selfish and selfless motives and actions. In a moment that word can identify a gift or highlight an opportunity to give.
We are often motivated by deep values that define character. Loyalty is that for most people that serve. Service is in essence a byproduct of loyalty. We are loyal to our nation and its heritage. We expect it from others and we give it as well. Loyalty begets loyalty.
I used to think a great deal about the shared heritage we had with those who had fought in other great wars. I thought initially it was the shared burden of stepping into harm’s way and the toil that separation from our families cost us. While that defines a part of that heritage there are some even clearer connections.
Do you remember how you felt the day the towers fell? Do you remember what it was like the next few days
