President Bush just finished speaking live on the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War and I find myself reflecting:
It seems incredibly surreal now, how conversations among Navy folks here in Norfolk had centered on how lax security measures appeared to be in this country prior to 9/11, how indifferent the American public had become in terms of terrorism and adhering to strict security measures in general.
“Unfortunately,” friends had sighed, “It’s going to take a major disaster before we put ourselves into the real game of ‘freedom fighting’. Lives will be lost and terrorists will think they’ve won until the day when we finally get our act seriously together.”
On the one hand, we’ve faced an unavoidable loss of life since the war started, the cold-blooded, merciless manner in which terrorists flawlessly execute their death plan in what seems a crapshoot from day to day for our own troops.
On the other hand, we have shown our true strength as Americans in the face of such catastrophe, our ability to pull tightly together, our unceasing loyalty to patriotism and the core values which built the very foundation of this country.
For instance, I watched the single, active-duty Navy mothers in my home daycare purposefully stiffen their spines and square their shoulders while depositing diapers, baby food and formula in my hands as they left their young children in my care the morning the war started, five years ago.
“This is our business, what we do,” Radioman Petty Officer First Class Ronda Thomas firmly stated, giving her son an extra hug and kiss before she headed for CINCLANT. Military bases had assumed the posture of Threat Con Delta across the country at that time. These mothers had no idea when they would be back for their kids.
“It’s time for us to go to work,” she said. And every last one of them did.
I was proud of these mothers, proud to watch them march off with determination to assume the duties of their Navy posts during this war, proud to have been able to play a crucial role in their lives as caregiver to their children by reassuring them, “Go do your job and I will do mine,” providing round-the-clock care for their children as necessary.
I heard from those like Chief Warrant Officer Gary Claytor, who said, “We will overcome. It’s going to take time. Freedoms that I and many of my friends have served for, that many of my friends have died for, serving and dying so people could walk down the street - it doesn’t come easily won. We have to be patient and persevere.”
He was right.
We also need to stand strong in the belief that America’s best men and women will join today’s Armed Forces, knowing as the President just said, “This is a fight we can and must win.”
