The 4th of July

Well, it is the 4th of July. Here it is just another day. I have decided that our shift will have a highly reduced work load for the night. This is because it is my belief that the 4th is first and foremost a holiday to celebrate freedom. This freedom is due the hard work and sacrifice of men and women like the warriors I have the privilege of serving with over here. In my mind that equates to we should be able to have a day to tone down the stress level, and savor the gifts that have been provided to us, and what we, in turn, are providing to others. Our wheels have not stopped, but they are not going full bore.

Warrior: A man engaged or experienced in war, or in the military life; a soldier; a champion.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

In my opinion this is a word that has been cheapened by seemingly constant misuse. Many people have forgotten, or perhaps never knew, that being a warrior is something that the vast majority of people are not meant, or able, to be. Warriors are different from other people, the same way that astrophysicists, public accountants, etc, etc, are different. In our changing military I feel that the higher-ups have failed to realize that the Air Force has been in a constant state of war for almost eighteen, yes 18, years. If you have been exposed to a constant state of war for your entire adult life, you are going to be more aggressive. This is just a fact as far as I can tell. How can we expect our people to function as thought they were just a corporate suit wearing camouflage?
My point you may ask? It is simply this; we are warriors, so treat us like it. We are not neutered kittens at a petting zoo. We have sacrificed much for our beliefs, and for our beloved country. If you don’t want warriors in the military, what do you want? I love my country, and have the highest respect for my fellow warriors. Thank you fellow warriors, here is an honest salute to you.