Perspective
You are the Air Force,By Colonel Smith
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. ? A couple of years ago, my family and I were having dinner in a restaurant. I had just met them there following work and had not changed from my uniform. An elderly gentleman kept looking over and finally came over to me.
He simply said, ?I just want to thank you for your service to our country.?
It clearly meant a lot to him, and to me as well. I shook his hand and asked him rather awkwardly if he?d ever served in the military.
?Why yes, but some time ago during World War II,? he said. ?We didn?t have all the demands on us that you do today.?
I asked him to tell us a little about his time in the service. He went on to explain about the flag raising on Iwo Jima and the famous Rosenthal photo. His company guarded the flag that first night after it was raised.
And he was thanking me for my service!
This event made me think of our current generation and its service to this country. In some very distinct ways, we face very similar global responsibilities and demands.
As I see our young officers and enlisted troops mature and grow professionally in rank and responsibility, I often think of that amazing encounter.
To that elderly gentleman who guarded the flag over Iwo Jima, I came to represent, rightly or wrongly, at that instant in time, our generation of service to the same flag he defended.
We each must always bear that responsibility, burden and honor.
To everyone we meet on or off base, in uniform or out, we embody an entire generation in service to our
country.
Every individual Airman represents the heritage of this great base, the lineage of the magnificent wings that comprise this center, and in a very real sense, we each, individually, represent the entire United States Air Force.
This Air Force has been in action continuously since 1991, and has become the single most potent fighting force in the history of the world. But we follow a great tradition of service, and must respect and honor those who came before us ? the veterans of the world wars, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf I and II and all those who serve now. As Veteran?s Day approaches, I ask you to consider this and rededicate yourselves to the tasks ahead.
Thank your families and friends for their support and their sacrifices. But most importantly, serve to make those who came before us, like that elderly gentleman in the restaurant, proud of the contributions of this generation to the flag and the country.
And thank you for your service!