The coverage was written by Ari Noonan, a truly professional journalist and American patriot extraordinaire. All veterans are grateful to Mr. Noonan and the newspaper for respecting those who selflessly protect and defend our nation.
Let there be no misunderstanding. “Duty, Honor, Country” means exactly what it says. This motto should never be altered in any way, by anyone, for any reason. Just as it is the responsibility of our military to serve under the principles of this time-honored credo to protect the American way of life, it is also the responsibility of fellow Americans to live up to the exemplary principles of the creed in their daily lives.
Each year, West Point presents the Thayer Award to an outstanding citizen of the United States, other than a U.S. Military Academy graduate. The honoree is evaluated for outstanding character and for accomplishments. His or her stature in the civilian community is assessed for drawing wholesome comparisons to the qualities for which West Point strives, in keeping with its motto, Duty, Honor, Country.
This past year, journalist and TV anchorman Tom Brokaw was awarded the Thayer Award by West Point. This selection notwithstanding, Mr. Noonan exemplifies the qualities of “Duty, Honor, Country” in his own career. He understands and appreciates that without our men and women of the U.S. armed forces who proudly and courageously serve under this credo of “Duty, Honor, Country,” we would not have our countless liberties. We also would not have the American way of life that is too often taken for granted.
For those who have a misguided ideology and think our military is no longer a necessity, who think our freedom can be thrown on the table as a negotiating tool with vicious enemies who want to kill us and destroy our nation, they should seriously reflect on the following truth by Charles M. Province.
It is the Soldier, not the minister,
Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us freedom to protest.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
The Profession of Arms
In his famed West Point speech before the 1962 graduating class of Cadets, Gen. Douglas MacArthur staunchly declared: “Yours is the profession of arms, the will to win, the sure knowledge that in war there is no substitute for victory; that if you lose, the nation will be destroyed; that the very obsession of your public service must be: Duty, Honor, Country.”
Robert L. Rosebrock is a Brentwood resident and a Vietnam-era veteran.
