Honor and sacrifice are words that should strike at the very core of our being for without the honor and sacrifice of those who’ve chosen to serve in the military, we would live in a very different world. Honor and sacrifice in the USA started over 200 years ago when a group of brave men chose to stand up to tyranny, chose to stand up for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Throughout the ages, countless men and women have chosen to step forward and offer themselves to their country. They’ve chosen to go knowing that they might not come back. Men chose to go to Europe to fight World Wars I and II because they believed in the cause of liberty and justice. Men and women chose to enlist after 9/11 because they believe in the cause of freedom and they believe that the life we live in the US is worth living. Even today, men and women are tying on their combat boots and preparing to go to hot spots around the world to defend liberty.
Honor and Sacrifice aren’t happy and joyful, but they bring a deep and enduring kind of bliss that means knowing you’ve done the right thing.
I first heard Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA over 20 years ago when I was serving my country as a civilian at Kadena AB, Japan and I still cry every time I hear this beautiful song.