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AdvertisementThe soldier gives us moreFor the second week in a row I have had a tremendous experience in Omaha, Neb. This time it was the retirement ceremony at Offutt Air Force Base for 10 airmen with 250 plus years of military service in the Air Force and Reserves. My wife's sister, Kami (Kieborz) Willet, was one of the 10; she gave 22 years of her life to military service. The range of service years of those that retired was 20 to 31 years and, if you ask me, every single one of them had reservations about going through with it. Yes, I believe they were a bit reluctant to be there. And it was hard for them to say good-bye to an institution that had been so instrumental in shaping their lives. You may wonder why it would be hard to leave something like the military, where you are asked to put everything in, and risk it all. The answer was obvious at the end of the ceremony. Camaraderie and pride, quite simply, are the two ingredients that create the most superior military force in the world. I asked the commander of this unit, Colonel Joan Gonzales, about the recipe, and she agreed completely that it is the driving force behind the success of this and every unit in the United States Armed Forces. She reminded me that these individuals come from every part of the country, every social and economic class, and yet they form into one operating unit that is completely and confidently reliant upon their teammates. For the record, Colonel Gonzales is no newbie either; this former farm girl is working on her 36th year of serving her country. It was announced during the ceremony that it is unheard of to have 10 people retiring from the same unit on the same day. In fact, Colonel Gonzales told me that she didn't think it had ever happened before in the entire Air Force. One of the leading factors in creating this situation is the fact that this 710th Medical Squadron is being shut down and any remaining servicemen will now be stationed out of Minneapolis. I did not explore it any further, but it does seem odd to me that in a terrible time of need we are disbanding such a tremendous unit. I am sure that the military has its rhyme and reason and all of it is strategic in maintaining the greatest military force on the globe. Honestly, though, as I sat through the ceremony and listened to the impact that each one of these soldiers has made in the past 20 plus years, there was a repeated reminder that over 250 years of military service were leaving us this day. My thought was, "Can we afford this?" I realize the military is a big establishment but when you see that much experience walking out the door on one day, it must have an impact. Once again Colonel Gonzales assured me that the Air Force is constantly recruiting young, able bodies and minds to fill in the holes. While she was extremely sad to see these individuals leave, she left no room for one to worry about the capable individuals that will follow suit. This seems like a good time to remind you of something else that I have learned in the past few years. All branches of the military have pretty much shut down recruiting in urban areas because they simply cannot get city youth interested in the defending of their own country. Everyone I have talked to has told me that the only young people who understand that freedom is not free and that it will take sacrifice and commitment to maintain our status as free citizens are our rural youth. I truly believe kids who grow up in a rural environment have a completely different outlook on life and process information differently than their city cousins. Back at the ceremony that took place at Offutt Air Force Base on Oct 3, 2009, something hit me while I was sitting there taking it all in. We talk about the United States military protecting our freedom, but it is so much more than that. Every person who has served, either at home or abroad, needs to understand that they have improved human lives around the world. Whether it is mission work in Guatemala or fighting in the trenches on the front lines in Iraq, the American soldier stands for the value of human life. I don't think nearly often enough any of us think about the oppression that our soldier has stopped or prevented. The camaraderie and pride of the U.S. soldier--I think we all could learn quite a little from soldiers like Captain Kami Willet and other servicemen in your family, in your community, and around the world. Thank you, Kami! We are so proud of you and appreciate all the sacrifices you have made for our freedom. Editor's note: Trent Loos is a sixth generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show, Loos Tales, and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.FacesOfAg.com, or e-mail Trent at trent@loostales.com. Advertisement
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