Shield and Sword

Well, I promised a new post, so here it is. It's not exactly a happy one, but it's something that's in the back of the mind of everyone who serves in the military (or it should be).
************************
I was watching a movie a few days ago, one I hadn't seen in a while. Anyone ever seen the original Planet of the Apes? The one with Charlton Heston? Well, if you haven't, one of the characters has a few good lines that speak to human nature. The movie was made back during the height of the Cold War (1968), so violence-bashing was a popular Hollywood theme. Here's one of the good ones:

"You are right, I have always known about man. From the evidence, I believe his wisdom must walk hand and hand with his idiocy. His emotions must rule his brain. He must be a warlike creature who gives battle to everything around him, even himself."

Now, given my profession of choice -- well, the profession I will enter in a few months, once I graduate -- people might find my discomfort with this observation a bit odd. Those who know me know that I don't mind a bit of violence here and there: I don't have a problem with putting terrorists in the ground where they belong, for example, and I do lack a certain degree of patience with diplomacy. I'll probably be one of those dads who teaches his kids to shoot when they're still young, because it's a fun sport (and teaching them young should instill in them a proper respect for life, not to mention safety). But I do notice a disturbing violent trend in our species. Just look at recent events: school shootings caused by bullying; drive-bys in cities related to gang warfare; just this week a man in California shot up a Christmas party over a divorce, then set the house on fire.

What is it with our species that drives us to inflict pain on those around us? In less than 200 years we (at least in this country) have gone from a simplistic, honorable society with black powder rifles to self-centered affluence, with drugs, missiles, and nuclear warheads. Seriously, for all the progress we've made in science and medicine, an equal amount (if not more) has been made in efficient ways of killing other people. In fact, many advances in medicine evolved from military research: where better to practice medical procedures and treatments than a battlefield?

Around my neck I wear a medallion that I had made several years ago, when I decided to join the military. On one side is St. Michael, the patron saint of soldiers. On the other side is a thistle, which symbolizes (among other things) protection. On one side is a reminder of what I do (war); on the other is a reminder of why I do it. I have worn this medallion every single day for the last eight years to remind me of the nature of the military. We are part of a service that is meant to kill people and break things. But at the same time, we are no regime protection force, meant to keep the current leaders in power. Nor is our primary mission to conquer other countries -- whatever the idiots at MoveOn.org might say: we can do that, but we don't like to, because it just makes us look like bullies.

Speaking from my point of view, and from what I've observed, military people generally don't like going to war, but we see it as a necessary evil. We don't like it because we're the ones out there getting killed while soft-handed (and -minded) people who've never been threatened by anything more menacing than a rabid squirrel debate on the morality of war and question our conduct. Oh sure, they'll say they "support the troops," but to many who use that phrase, it's nothing more than lip service while they try to get their agendas advanced and themselves promoted to better positions of personal power. We go because we know what's out there, and we know that there are things out there far more terrible than crazy squirrels. We go because we know somebody has to do it; we go because somebody has to be the shield and sword both.

I think that's at the heart of why people feel the way they do about people in uniform: people as a whole have a deep-rooted desire for security and safety. To the common person, a man (or woman) in uniform represents the shield that keeps them safe, and engenders feelings of trust found in few other places (to say nothing of the way we comport ourselves: respect is so different between the military and civilian worlds). It's not for nothing that the military holds itself to higher standards than most civilians: we know that to slip or slack might mean someone gets killed on down the line. We tolerate far fewer mistakes because a mistake (whether it be drug use or negligence) not corrected may (due to an underlying character fault) translate into something of far greater import later on. There are reasons the military has been #1 for the "Whom do you trust the most" question on several nation-wide polls, and that's a big part of it.

That said, I don't have a huge problem with being that shield and sword, but it makes a normal family life difficult. Believe me, I do want a family, but the strain military life puts on one (between the moving, the odd hours, and that little thing about possible death in the line of duty) makes things hard to even begin, because everyone hears the stories. But I've been repeatedly told that there is someone out there for me -- she must be out there right now -- so I don't give up hope, though I take many an arrow to the heart in the meantime. And in that meantime, I feel happy knowing that I am part of the shield and sword that allows others to find that happiness.

Well, this seems a bit far from where I started, but the conclusion I draw from this is thus: mankind is warlike and is the only species on the planet that actively searches for new ways to kill itself. However, there is also great capacity for love and good. Between those two extremes there are a few who know the dangers and potential of each side, and seek to use as much as necessary from either side to keep the two separate.

Those few are the military, the police, and others who actively defend the general populace from the evil present in the world. Most of us don't eagerly await the next chance to go out and deal death in pursuit of personal gain: because we understand the value of life, which is why we've chosen to preserve it as much as we can. Seeing the smiles on the faces of our friends and families, as well as those we help abroad is enough for us. So thank you to those who truly do support the troops, and know that the phrase is not merely something to fill an empty speech with.
****************
Thoughts? I warned you this would be a deep post, and not exactly happy. I swear I'm not writing this as a means to garner sympathy or points for myself. This is what I truly believe. If you choose to believe me or not, that's up to you.

--Mr. NFO 2009