Patriotism, parenting, and supporting troops
This is an open letter to the US Navy, the US Marines, the US Army, the US Air Force, and the US Coast Guard. And no particular reason for listing these uniformed services, in this particular order, other than I spent 7+ years enlisted in the US Navy.
Patriotism is what patriots do - love and serve their fatherland. There are many ways to serve at national and local levels. There are civilian leaders and support people, the uniformed services, and the companies and individuals that produce the supplies and services that governments and nations require.
I see signs to ’support our troops’, clearly separating the thought of the citizens enrolled in the uniformed services from their officers and leaders, and from the government that is responsible for assigning armies and missions. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We can love America the nation, while still expressing criticism of what one or more leaders values or does. But I have also heard parents that are fanatically opposed to their children being drawn to regard, let alone enlist, the uniformed services as honorable, noble, or ethical service to their community and nation.
And I have a problem with that.
There are many ways of parenting, and many ways to measure success. But I expect a patriotic parent to raise a child interested in military service, willing to enlist, and prepared morally, physically, and with basic skills, to serve and serve well, in the uniformed services.
There are several parts to this admonition. First is that from the time the child is born, the household has to express a supportive and positive regard for the military and those serving in the military. There has to be a positive regard for veterans, and an ongoing awareness of how veterans of the military services affect our communities.
Then there is the preparation. The child requires self discipline, honor, physical fitness, and basic skills. Marksmanship is one preparation, with awareness of gun safety - that seems apparent, but is required by relatively few of those in the Navy or Air Force. The Army and the Marines can do more with a recruit with some skill at hitting a target, an appreciation of firearm safety and types of firearms.
Every recruit has to master respect for authority, ability to take and follow direction, and discipline to complete a task - lack of these central virtues is wasteful of efforts and hazardous to those around - as they are in public school. The courts in the United States have held that failing to teach a child discipline (the will to complete a task) is actionable, criminal child abuse. Schools today suffer, cities suffer, and our military suffers from people that grew up lacking basic moral, family values. Many companies actively recruit people with military pasts - having finished boot camp (basic training), employee candidates have to have demonstrated some level of discipline. Disciplined workers waste less time, and often work more efficiently and work better with others.
In the past, our country deliberately chose to use the public schools to prepare children for military service. Competitive sports improved physical condition, team work, working to a plan, taking direction, and leadership, and introduced strategy and tactics. Dress codes introduced attention to detail, pride of unit (class), and teamwork. Individual recitation improved bravery and overcoming obstacles. The pledge of allegiance built a sense of common purpose and dedication.
Today our schools don’t do as well as earlier. Instead of local schools, where every kid in the class had to participate to make up a full football team, only a small percentage are allowed to make the team. The courts have raised objections to the pledge of allegiance, and focus on physical fitness is often uneven, for preparing young men and women fit for duty in the armed services. Individuality is often praised above discipline.
I would like the US Navy, the US Marines, the US Air Force, the US Coast Guard, and the US Army to determine which recruits of each induction section are ‘best prepared’. Are fit, honorable, disciplined, and ready, at induction, to serve their country. Not the ones that best perform the entire induction training, but those that have been best prepared to enlist by their school, by their parents. And at graduation, transmit certificates of patriotism to their parents or guardians, and certificates of appreciation to their school boards, high school and elementary.
I can think of no expression of patriotism brighter than raising a child to successful service in the uniformed services or national government.
Communities already celebrate graduates from the military academies - the sponsoring Senators and the services make that point loud and often. But let’s please remind communities and families that it takes good family values to produce a good recruit.