Sacrifice

I thought of something early yesterday evening, what is it that makes military members so committed to each other? You hear it on commercials, movies, TV shows, and songs, it sounds so pretty, so wondrous, and patriotic. He/She gave their life for their brothers and sisters; some beautiful song slowly humming in the background. But have you ever really thought, why? I'm mean where else can you find a group of strangers smashed in a small living area together, who without a moments thought would run to save you or take a bullet/grenade for you. Imagine you're in Wal-Mart on any given busy day, and a gunman (I am not advocating any violence or even liking the idea, just used for thought material) starts lobbing grenades  and shooting people. How many people do you think would jump on a grenade to save you? Or better yet, could you honestly say you would do it for someone else?




Of course, people in the military don't usually deploy down range by themselves (Some Reserves and National Guard people do, and that takes balls to deploy without knowing anyone), so they know each other. I mean they aren't best friends with everybody but they kinda know some people. Ask anyone in the military or any veteran, and we will all say it isn't because we are better or more noble than anyone else. Every branch, every deployment, has that one shithead who nobody likes, maybe he/she doesn't shower or do laundry; maybe they just don't work. But if the time came, you know (deep inside) you would bust your ass trying to make sure Shithead stayed alive.


Most of us could honestly say it's because we're are a weird, insane little family. Families stick up, fight, and die, if need be, for each other, even Shithead. I think it goes maybe a little deeper than that. I feel it might have something to do with the fact that it's not because all military people have this beautiful self-sacrificing attitude (I am in no way implying that there aren't those type of people, just saying not everyone is), I think it's because we get to truly see each other at our worst. On deployments there is little to no privacy, yes eww, bathroom, farts, other things. But also things like, watching your buddy cry because he missed his kids birth, or kids/adults graduation, a family members death. No privacy. At the end of the day, Shithead has a family at home, he is you, you are him. His family thinks the world of him, just as yours does of you. They miss him, yours miss you. And if you're faced with that terrible decision, suddenly maybe you see him and you also see yourself. Maybe in saving him, you're also saving yourself.


Now please don't mistake me for being insensitive to those who do lay down their lives for others. Far from it! I know many people just can't understand the phenomenon that it is. I have no other explanation than I believe it's as selfless of an act that one can make. And yes they do deserve all the music, TV, and movies out there. I have never been faced with such a difficult decision, so I will be the first to say that a decision like that seems overwhelming. And to those who have lost family members and friends, I salute you for your daily sacrifice and for theirs as well. You all have a special place in the heart of every true American.