THE OBSERVATION BOOTH
OP / ED & PHOTOS BY ANDREA DIALECT
Memorial Day
Annually recognized for the first time on Memorial Day May 30, 1868. It is a day for visiting cemeteries and memorials to mourn the military personnel who died in the line of duty. Volunteers will place American flags on the graves of those military personnel in national cemeteries.
Front line – The military line or part of an army that is closest to the enemy.
Initially, my intention was to take to the streets, capturing images of random folk in celebration of our beloved Memorial Day. However, a conversation I had many years ago with a few guys on the bus came to mind. In support of their argument, each in their own way kept reiterating, “Don’t nobody do nuthin’ for me, and I ain’t doin’ nothing for nobody.”
After addressing the three as modern-day Robin Hoods, I presented a laundry list of possibilities of things that could have been done in the service of mankind. After noting these possible suggestions of their acts of good tiding, those blank looks and the sound of crickets ensued. “Oh, I get it. You want to be the beneficiaries of what you’re not contributors to.” Note that soon after that, the conversation faded to black.
So instead, my focus this week commemorates the memories and dedication of those who gave their lives for others and the upholding of our freedom. Ironically, I stumbled upon this series that also fits nicely with this topic: “What Went Wrong?” TV series. GOOGLE THAT as a reminder of both the challenges and sacrifices of our life journeys. It also offers an up-close and personal look at examples of selflessness, love, and dedication to one’s fellow man. Today, I pay homage to all the Military men and women who dedicated themselves for our safety and protection.
This article is also dedicated to anyone out there who feels, in their heart of hearts, as those fellows did, that no one has ever done anything for them. Scan the acts of kindness, dedication, and sacrifice. Research the stats for a start. You’ll soon beg to differ – or at least you should!
UNFORGETTABLE
According to Neta Crawford and Catherine Lutz Data from Human Cost of Post-9/11:
Direct War Deaths in Major War Zones (2019) states that War Over 7,000 U.S. service members have died in the post-9/11 warzones of Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and elsewhere. Their deaths have affected a large community of parents, spouses, children, siblings, and friends. Afghan, Iraqi, and other allied military and police deaths have been even more extensive. Western allies of the U.S. also have borne significant human costs in the post-9/11 wars.
Hundreds of thousands more United States and allied service members have been wounded in combat or have died indirectly as a result of injuries sustained in the war zones. The U.S. military suicide rate, historically low, has climbed significantly since 2004: four times as many service members have died by suicide than in combat in the post-9/11 wars, signaling a widespread mental health crisis.
Because the U.S. military recruits heavily from low income and minority communities, and the states that send the most troops to war are often the poorest states in the nation, certain U.S. states and towns have borne higher human costs than others.
Thousands of private contractors have also died in the wars while providing logistical and security support to U.S. troops. The U.S. government does not thoroughly report contractor deaths, their families are often not compensated for their deaths and injuries, and contractor health care is generally substandard. Foreign workers for U.S. contracting firms often do not have their deaths recorded or compensated.
DID YA KNOW THAT…
As of September 2023, the US military had 2.86 million people worldwide, including about 1.3 million active-duty military personnel and over 778,000 civilians. The US military is the third largest active military in the world, behind China and India. The military is made up of six main service branches: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force.
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