Keeping the Faith
by Regis Clifford


Today we Americans face a future that may be perceived as uncertain and
confusing. Although some people talk about living in difficult times, our
hearts should not be troubled. Each generation of Americans has been tested,
just as our nation is being tested in its values and vision.

Many of us lived through the turmoil of the ‘60s. Traumatic events such
as the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and the Vietnam War
defined the decade. The Vietnam era saw millions of Americans struggle to exist
as the country went from a time of peace to a time of war. When the troops
returned from Vietnam, they were met with hatred and animosity. Upon his return
from the war, Captain Gerald Coffee (a prisoner of war for seven years) was
surprised to find that many Americans had lost faith in God, faith in their
country and faith in themselves. Yet it was faith in those very things that
helped Coffee and his fellow POWs (such as John McCain) survive, and enabled
them to move on with their lives towards a more positive future.

Today there is a group of people who have not lost their faith in God,
America or themselves. Tonight, there is a nineteen year old solider sleeping
in a foxhole millions of miles away. He is scared, tired, lonely and hungry.
His annual salary is less than $16,000. He is facing an enemy who hates what we
stand for, and he is doing it by choice. He won’t be calling in sick tomorrow
morning. He will be on the job. He keeps the faith. Duty, honor and pride in
his country are part of his Apostle’s Creed.

We Americans are not a war-like people. We prefer to battle on the
playing field. This is not a Hollywood movie or a video game. We seldom
realize that the real peacemakers are those who go to war to defend our country
and the freedom it provides us. No one loves peace more than a solider. He or
she is the one who fights to keep it for all of us.

There are great battles, moments in our history, that threatened our
freedom such as Valley Forge, Battle of New Orleans, Gettysburg, Argonne Forest,
Bastone, Incon, Hanoi, Hilton, and now Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, as in the
past, we depend on our men and women in uniform. They are doing everything they
can to protect us. Many have given their lives, others will and many more are
and will become severely disabled. They need to hear from us, no matter what
our politics may be. They need to know that we support them, and are thankful
for their service as they salute the flag, follow orders, and protect our great
nation.

These brave men and women are talking the place “on the wall” for the
majority of Americans. Some people have suggested that we reinstate the draft,
and others are afraid that this will happen. This system is not required now,
nor is it effective. Our military is well trained, and consists solely of
volunteers. After 9/11, well over 100,000 retired military requested to be
placed on a volunteer list. As long as we have people with this dedication and
sense of self-sacrifice, the America we know and love will be here for
generations to come.

We should be ever so thankful for this and find the best way to help our
men and women in uniform achieve their goal of victory.

How can we do this?


1. Write a letter of thanks to someone in the military. They would love to
hear from you, especially with the holidays approaching. There are many who
have no family or friends writing to them, and it would mean a lot to them to
know someone out there cares. A small “care package” would be a bonus.

2. Visit a veteran’s hospital. If you can, volunteer for a few hours.

3. Explore fund raising activities, concerts, etc. on the behalf of our
military and their families.

4. Pray for our soldiers.

Links to web sites in support of our miltary
Adopt A Hero
http://asoldiersblog.com/

Wounded Warrior Project
http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/


Let’s be proactive and keep faith in God, our country, and our men and
women in uniform.

Please forward this e-mail to support our troops, thank you!

Regis Clifford






Iraq War Today