| "CIVILIAN REFLECTIONS" Our monthly column written by students and staff at the John H. Sununu Youth Services Center February 2008 JUST A THOUGHT They sit together, talking, laughing, and commenting on world events. They seem so ordinary, they seem so normal, they seem so human, but I know they are extraordinary men. I know they served in extraordinary times, in extraordinary circumstances. Yet, they do not shout their accomplishments, they do not call attention to their experiences, they do not expect recognition. Three veterans separated by time and wars, one served in World War II, one served in Korea, and one served in Vietnam, but their brotherhood of military service binds them as closely as family. I see patriots, I see champions, I see Knights, and I see heroes, yet they would never use those words to describe themselves, they would never identify their tours of service with these words, but they are quick to use this vocabulary to describe other soldiers and veterans. I admire them for putting their personal needs second to the needs of their country, and I am struck with an answer I have long sought: Why is our military special, unusual, remarkable, and unparallelled? WHY? Because their commitment is commonplace. We stand protected because they stand in front of us. We are safe because they stand in front of us. We stand proud because they stand in front of us. We have never seen them anywhere but in front of us. We enjoy the benefits of a democracy because they’ve paid our dues. We NEED to thank them for making the extraordinary so ordinary. THANK YOU!!! |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |