Sacrifices

Sacrifices

A recent visit from one of my older brothers had me feeling both proud and unnerved; a feeling I’m afraid that becomes more and more frequent these days. Once a full-time active-duty soldier, my brother now gypsies between truck driver and weekend warrior, the nomad lifestyle clearly suiting him well. Both professions provide him the opportunities to travel, although one is more land-locked than the other, and both professions come with their own variety of experiences. And like most humans when trying to get their point across, he occasionally prevents the truth from standing in the way of a good story; after all, we Southerners are known for tall tales and embellishments. But during his most recent stay I was able to catch a glimpse into one of the dark rooms of his mind; the kind of rooms that stay locked for a reason.

Most of his battle stories are rather amusing and not at all surprising, some are even fascinating. Overall, he’s been very fortunate, due in part to the fact that he’s among the best in his field, and the rest is just pure, dumb luck! But as any service member knows, no good deed goes unpunished, and one of the worst sentences you receive is the one you bestow upon yourself. He shared an experience that reminded me of the demons that he and those like him must battle with every day; one of those experiences when every fiber of your being wanted to intervene and couldn’t, because there was nothing you could do about it. As I watched him tell it, I sensed that there were many details left untold, not surprising given the many countries he’s been sent to, and it left me wondering how many of his other encounters are never spoken of at all.

Though the term “military career” is used often, those who have served, including their families, learn quickly that it is not a career, it’s a way of life. The sacrifices made go beyond just being absent and coincide with the statute that not everything can be discussed; it’s one of the casualties of service. As frustrating as it is to those who have “no need to know”, it’s even more so to those that do; they’re the ones who have to live with the memories. There will be places they go and things they see that can never be revealed, and there will be incidents that they are forbidden to interfere with despite right or wrong. Anyone who has taken that sacred oath in order to join the ranks of the military lifestyle was forewarned about the sacrifices, and cautioned that the values that are used as a moral compass are tested to the limit. Time and pressure can produce a beautiful diamond or it can produce dust, and only time will tell when the battle is over ... unfortunately, the war goes on.

I know I could never begin to fathom the horrors my brother has seen, and the horrors still to come. As my own son matures, I’m reminded that his time to register for selective service grows near. All too soon, he will one day be among those taking the oath. He will have his own experiences, tell his own stories, make his own sacrifices, and do battle with his own demons. Even as the draft remains inactive, the next generation has those ready to make the ultimate sacrifice, and as I pray every night for those currently serving, may God go with them.