Veterans mean Vetted in Love for Country

This Veteran’s Day instead of just going to get more junk you really don’t need at some sale, go to the movies and see a rare glimpse into combat deployment through the eyes of an Army Chaplain in Afghanistan, a war there against terrorism that has been going on for at least 17 straight years now. It is called No Greater Love and it is the first documentary filmed and directed by an active duty soldier. We have soldiers defending our country now for 10 tours of duty and who have spent all of their adult lives killing people in defense of our values. The freedom to go buy junk on sale on Veterans Day.

The film was shot and directed by active duty Army Chaplain Justin Roberts. For three years he was assigned as Chaplain to the second 327 Infantry Battalion also known as No Slack. How hard is it for a religious person to serve in the military when one of God’s Ten Commandments says, Thou Shalt Not Kill and he has to sooth the fears and the guilt of having a job where you are there to kill and prevent death to your fellow countrymen? He went to his deployment armed with a camera. He filmed the thoughts and reactions of fellow soldiers having to go into uncharted territory where no one had invaded yet, not even the Russians.

He records the facial expressions of the men who heard the combat bombs and automatic weapons going off and watched the bodies go down into instant death. We have to thank all those in uniform and all those who have served. Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength. We must always show our love for the flag they wear on their uniforms and the bravery they have to WILLINGLY go out into the most dangerous places on earth in defense of the people and the country they love. Loving someone deeply gives you courage. Our service men and women must love us deeply because they are the most courageous people on earth.

We could be doing better for them. In just the past 20 years we have more soldiers away and home now that are broken in bodies and in minds. Are we doing enough for them? They return to no meaningful relationships here because they were in some foreign land having more of a relationship with their weapons. We could be supporting the USO more and be giving every veteran discounts to shops and entertainment and anything else they want when they return. THEY DESERVE THE SALES IN STORES MORE THAN US COUCH POTATOES!

One of the Navy Seals who killed Bin Laden had to write a book for income because he doesn’t have a pension. EVERY SOLDIER DESERVES A PENSION.

We have returning soldiers who are homeless and jobless. EVERY SOLDIER DESERVES A HOME TO HAVE. Use our tax dollars to pay for that.

Mental illness is on the rise because our government allows our soldiers to get more and more tours of duty till they don’t even remember how to live a “normal” life in peace. GIVE THEM ALL THE MENTAL HELP THEY NEED AND MAKE IT MANDATORY so we don’t have home grown terrorists.

Parades are nice. Visiting the graves is nice. Posting a picture of your relative or friend in a uniform is nice but it is not enough. Go to the movies and support some film about a soldier. Sigh! Better yet elect officials who care about the needs of our volunteer military. Elect a President who can say the words Peace On Earth instead of scaring the world with instant death and destruction. Have an economy that cares more on restoring the destroyed towns to make them livable instead of having displaced refugees tossed all over the world having to live in places where they don’t want to be in places where they aren’t wanted.

Let’s have an army of religious folks TALK to ISIS following folks and discuss what the hell is right from wrong so we can all live happy lives here on earth and not do stupid acts of terrorism in the name of some God we hope to meet in some afterlife that no one has returned from. At least pause and reflect on those who have served and deserve the respect for putting their one life here on earth in danger for the love of all of us.