Post by artraveler on Feb 24, 2020 11:35:09 GMT -8
A Job to Do
As an old retired guy, I spend some free time visiting with friends. Rick’s Bakery here in Fayetteville is a favorite spot. Rick’s is a broad-spectrum bakery selling everything from donuts to wedding cakes. Rick has set aside a large table in the dining area for vets. This group like all of America is diverse and vocal about their opinions. We all have a common significant interest as veterans but how we got here is an altogether different story.
A recent topic of conversation was how we came to enter military service. Some enlisted and some were drafted, before the draft ended. A common feature of conversation was that military service was not viewed by any of us as glorious, but as a necessary thing, even those who were drafted viewed their time in uniform as a job to do.
A job to do. How typical of American warriors. We don’t go to war for glory, empire, tribute, or recognition but because it is something we need to do. Other countries throughout history make war for some or all of these things but Americans view war as a task, chore, duty even an inconvenience. Yes, we have generals and Admirals who seek glory, or empire. However, even the most drastic of American leaders like Patton, Sherman, LeMay even Washington put on the conqueror mantle as a leadership burden.
They know, I think intuitively, that turning a bunch of civilian, mostly conscripts into killers required an element of the showman. Patton, for example, was as much an impresario as a general. Consider, Patton was known for a fiery temper and during war games before the war he blew up at a major who made a mistake. When asked about his action by an officer on his staff saying that they didn’t know when he was serious and when he was acting. Patton’s response says a lot, “It’s not important if they understand, only that I do”.
The element of a job to do can be found in every part of American life. The men who built Hoover Dam, Golden Gate and Empire State in the middle of depression were not driven by the idea of building impressive dams, bridges, or buildings but just a job to do. The men who stormed Iwo Jima 75 years ago were not there to further an American empire, but to end the war by the most direct means possible, a job to do.
Few examples of this attitude exist in history, perhaps the Spartans at Thermopile and the Jews at Masada. Even the warriors of the North and South who went into the most dangerous of wars did not do so for fame, glory or recognition but there was a job to do. When America’s wars are over the trained and battle-hardened armies are disbanded. The materials of war are sold off for scrap. The men go home to wives, girlfriends and family and resume their civilian lives. For most, matured by war, but not engulfed by it and praying that their children never have to do the same job.
I hoped that my children would never need to make the kind of life and death decisions I did but that has not been the case. My oldest son has spent his entire life in uniform defending his country and his people, his oldest son was just enlisted. My oldest grandsons have both served as has my granddaughter. All have returned mostly unscarred by their experience. All have told me in one way or another they are glad to be home. There was a job to do.
As an old retired guy, I spend some free time visiting with friends. Rick’s Bakery here in Fayetteville is a favorite spot. Rick’s is a broad-spectrum bakery selling everything from donuts to wedding cakes. Rick has set aside a large table in the dining area for vets. This group like all of America is diverse and vocal about their opinions. We all have a common significant interest as veterans but how we got here is an altogether different story.
A recent topic of conversation was how we came to enter military service. Some enlisted and some were drafted, before the draft ended. A common feature of conversation was that military service was not viewed by any of us as glorious, but as a necessary thing, even those who were drafted viewed their time in uniform as a job to do.
A job to do. How typical of American warriors. We don’t go to war for glory, empire, tribute, or recognition but because it is something we need to do. Other countries throughout history make war for some or all of these things but Americans view war as a task, chore, duty even an inconvenience. Yes, we have generals and Admirals who seek glory, or empire. However, even the most drastic of American leaders like Patton, Sherman, LeMay even Washington put on the conqueror mantle as a leadership burden.
They know, I think intuitively, that turning a bunch of civilian, mostly conscripts into killers required an element of the showman. Patton, for example, was as much an impresario as a general. Consider, Patton was known for a fiery temper and during war games before the war he blew up at a major who made a mistake. When asked about his action by an officer on his staff saying that they didn’t know when he was serious and when he was acting. Patton’s response says a lot, “It’s not important if they understand, only that I do”.
The element of a job to do can be found in every part of American life. The men who built Hoover Dam, Golden Gate and Empire State in the middle of depression were not driven by the idea of building impressive dams, bridges, or buildings but just a job to do. The men who stormed Iwo Jima 75 years ago were not there to further an American empire, but to end the war by the most direct means possible, a job to do.
Few examples of this attitude exist in history, perhaps the Spartans at Thermopile and the Jews at Masada. Even the warriors of the North and South who went into the most dangerous of wars did not do so for fame, glory or recognition but there was a job to do. When America’s wars are over the trained and battle-hardened armies are disbanded. The materials of war are sold off for scrap. The men go home to wives, girlfriends and family and resume their civilian lives. For most, matured by war, but not engulfed by it and praying that their children never have to do the same job.
I hoped that my children would never need to make the kind of life and death decisions I did but that has not been the case. My oldest son has spent his entire life in uniform defending his country and his people, his oldest son was just enlisted. My oldest grandsons have both served as has my granddaughter. All have returned mostly unscarred by their experience. All have told me in one way or another they are glad to be home. There was a job to do.