Veteran's Day, 10 Days Later

Taps at Arlington National Cemetery

I've just caught up with several podcasts from Bob Edwards Weekend, including his Veteran's Day broadcast. If you don't know his show, I highly recommend checking it out. Virtually every episode is worth listening to; even when a subject comes up that I don't care about I learn a lot and enjoy my time if I trust Edward's judgement.

The Veteran's Day show focused on the dignified transfer, the arrival at Dover Air Force Base of each and every American soldier killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. There were segments on the actual transfer of the case; the experience of the press photographer; the military personnel who attend to the body and prepare it for shipment home; the reaction of the families who choose to attend; and, of course, the stories of the fallen. It was a sobering piece and I teared up several times. All these lost youth! For what?

Most Americans, no matter what their position on the wars, seem to “support our troops”. In that, I am like most Americans, but I have a real hard time with it. As an Army brat it was hard to oppose the war in Vietnam when I was a young man – but I did. As the son of career soldier it was hard to say I would not serve if drafted – but say it I did. I am totally opposed to our current two wars and am convinced that when they end we will have accomplished nothing good. As in Vietnam, where over 55,000 Americans died in vain, several thousand will have uselessly died in Afghanistan and Iraq.

But when I bring this argument from the global to the local and experience the death of one young soldier and hear the family tell their story, my politics fly out the window and my antipathy catches in my throat. I can't imagine the pain of losing a 19 year-old child.

Coincidentally, I watched The Messenger last night, a film about the military unit that brings the terrible news of death to the next of kin. I cried during a burial scene, when I heard Taps, just as I did when it was played over my father's coffin as he was buried at Arlington. It's a mournful tune that always brings a shudder to my heart. Years ago I was at the Groton Naval Base picking up some medication for my mom. It was nearly the end of the day and I was anxious to start the hour-long trip home. As I was driving across base the car in front of me suddenly stopped, for no apparent reason. I was about to lay on the horn when the two soldiers in the car got out, stood at attention and saluted. I too got out and only then realized that the base flag was being lowered and you could just barely make out Taps over outdoor speakers. A moment later it was over; we got back in our cars and carried on. It was an amazing experience; I actually had a physical reaction as waves of memory crashed over me. I thought of all the Army bases I had lived on and all the times I had stopped what I was doing to face the flag as it was lowered at the end of the day. It made me miss that life, it made me miss my father and it made me proud to be a military kid.

The Army is involved in two conflicts right now; there's clearly another going on in my head.

Taps

Fading light dims the sight


And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright

From afar drawing nigh,


Falls the night.



Day is done, gone the sun


From the lakes, from the hills, from the skies


All is well, safely rest;


God is nigh.



Then goodnight, peaceful night;


Till the light of the dawn shineth bright.


God is near, do not fear,


Friend, goodnight.