Guest Editorial

By Jim Daly

America is the greatest country in the world, and is worth defending.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars have an annual scholarship program for middle-school students. It is called the Patriots Pen. The theme a couple of years ago was “Does Patriotism Still Matter?”

That is a great question. What do you think?

I believe that patriotism does still matter. In fact, I believe that patriotism is one of the most important attributes of American society, and it should be preserved and cultivated. I would like to address only one of the many, many ways to demonstrate patriotism: honoring our military service veterans.

I served in the Marine Corps for 22 years, and in Vietnam. For years I was on the receiving end of much rancor and invective, as were many Vietnam vets. This anger, bitterness and abuse was a reflection of a lack of respect, and in my opinion a lack of patriotism.

Many of us Vietnam vets still bear the scars of that lack of patriotism today. Those who disrespected the members of the Armed Forces were angry about the involvement in a war so far away with no apparent benefit to America. They were angry at the government. They were angry at those young men and women that were serving in the military. Young men were dying for nothing, they thought. They thought those young men were killing other human beings for nothing.

Now, I know that some of you would call those criticisms the best acts of patriotism. But I must disagree. I believe that military service is the best act of patriotism, at least for some.

I joined the Marine Corps because I was young, naive, undirected and unprepared for the future. I wanted to serve my country, but I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life. I was assured by many adults that the military would help me mature and figure it out.

I joined the Marine Corps, rather than the Army or Navy, because of a man I knew and respected that had been a Marine in two wars. That man was Chuck Keinath. He was a calm, dedicated, caring man who had seen it all in World War II and Korea. He knew what was important: honor, ethics, people and community. I’m not sure whether he learned it through his upbringing, education, the Marine Corps, marriage, career or all of life. But he was a man I looked up to and wanted to emulate. I thought the Marine Corps would help me do that. And I think it did.

I believe that many of us, when we are young, are in a similar situation and figure out that a few years in the military would be good for us. So we join one branch of the U.S. military or another, not necessarily wanting to go to war, but trained for and prepared to if called upon. And I was called upon for Vietnam.

We Vietnam vets did not deserve to be treated the way we were treated. And I am glad that, for the most part, the American public has rallied behind the young men and women that serve our country in the military today. They offer honor and respect to today’s veterans and many of those that served in the past.

I think that Vietnam vets are the source of that impetus that leads our country to honor our military today. The Vietnam veterans are the majority of the membership and energy in today’s veterans organizations. Organizations such as the VFW, the American Legion, AmVets, Vietnam Veterans of America, 40 et 8, and the many others that lead the efforts to support and honor our military and our veterans.

Those organizations provide patriotic education, scholarships for community youth, service officers that educate veterans and their family members of government benefits and programs, honor guards for veterans’ funerals, Veterans Day and Memorial Day programs to honor our veterans, and much more.

Today, I would like to think that I have honor and ethics like Chuck Keinath. I know that people and community are important to this country and our way of life. I try to show that by honoring and supporting our veterans in any way I can through work in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, my church, and the community.

Honoring our veterans is only one expression of patriotism, but one that is as important today as it was during the Revolution or at any other point in our history.

I believe this country should be preserved at any cost. Many of us have proved that through service, some in combat. Many more will. Patriotism does still matter.

I am glad that I was born, raised, and live in the United States. I suspect you are too. I love this country. America is the greatest country on Earth, and I would defend her again today or any day.

Jim Daly is a retired captain of the U.S. Marine Corps. He is a past commander, service officer and chaplain of Aberdeen Post 224, Veterans of Foreign Wars; and veterans service officer of Vietnam Veterans of America.