Mackensie Rohloff

English Comp section 56

November 26, 2007

Comparison and Contrast

The True Servers of our Country

After reading a short story by William Broyles Jr. entitled, A War for Us, Fought by Them, I was reminded of all the bravery involved in being in the military.  I have never served our country in the military, nor do I intend to do so.  I do, however, have family members and friends who have served our country.  They willingly have volunteered to risk their lives, jeopardize their relationships and be away from their families for an extended amount of time.  According to Michael Moore’s documentary, Fahrenheit 911, most members of the government do not have family members serving in any branch of the military, yet it was a governmental decision to send our military to
Iraq to fight in a war that really has nothing to do with us.  I feel this is a very cowardly and selfish decision. 

The innocent soldiers serving our country are mostly people who might not otherwise have a chance to succeed in life.  Joining the military is their ticket out of poverty stricken areas and their chance to do something with their lives.  These people do not have the opportunity to succeed as do some children of government officials, including the President of the United States, congressmen and other governmentally important people.  These people feel that their children are too important to fight in war and risk their lives.  As stated by William Broyles Jr., if supporters of the war truly feel this war is worth fighting for, then the burdens should fall on all Americans, not just other people’s children.  I’m sure parents who have children in the military also feel that their children are too important to serve; however, it is a decision that is very personal to many people. 

I am continually amazed by families who have lost loved ones and still support the war.  I don’t know where they find the courage and the strength to remain so positive.  Many of these families have other children still fighting in Iraq and still they believe in the decision that was made by their children.

            My military family members and friends have all served in Iraq.  They have nothing but great respect for the branches of military they serve.  Beyond my understanding, they understand why they were in Iraq.  They continue to stay positive after all of the negative things they have encountered in the battle stricken regions of Iraq.  Many of them have fellow soldiers who have lost their lives as a result of road-side bombs and other viscous attacks from Iraqis.  They are not readily willing to talk about the negative things they have witnessed, and I believe they do this to protect civilians in America.  They don’t want us to know the risks they were taking for us.  This is a very humble profession and I am not sure that I could handle something of this caliber.  Maybe this is why certain government officials don’t want their family members to become soldiers; they may not be as humble as the other people’s children are.

            In conclusion, I feel I have learned a lot about the soldiers of our country.  By having friends and family serving in Iraq, I have learned so much about them and the sacrifices they have made and continue to make to make this country a strong and more humble nation.  My hat is off to all of the soldiers from every branch of the military. Without them, and in my own opinion, our country would include a bunch of governmental cowards and a very unsafe nation for the rest of us unwilling to serve our country because of personal fears.