By Kanani Fong
Each November they come, marching on streets from Fullerton to New York City. Some are grizzled and grey, their rows not as straight, and many march arm in arm. To see a veterans day parade is to bear witness to a time line of war and peace: Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, The Pacific, and Europe. And if you were to imagine, preceding them would be soldiers from Belleau Wood, San Juan Hill, Antietam, Gettysburg, and Valley Forge. If we look around us, we might even imagine all the loved ones they left behind, standing alongside watching the procession go by.
The passing years are gently worn by some of the WWII vets. While there are those still able to make the march, others sit at the staging area. They wear caps emblazoned where and with whom they served. Many have medals pinned to their jackets. Their vision is not as keen, sharp sounds are softer now. Yet, here they are, craning their necks, listening for the familiar sound of boots on the ground. They are waiting for their brothers who are marching for them.
Veterans gather every November 11 not just for the fanfare, hoopla, or flag waving. They come together to feel the bonds of service. For this was a time in their life when brotherhood was never a question and trust meant the difference between life and death. Unlike the camaraderie displayed among actors on a screen, or by athletes on a team, what separates them is the oath they took to protect and serve our country. Often this meant saving the life of their brothers, even if it could cost them their own. What distinguishes them is each has walked the warrior path, embodying a code of ethics and honor. They put aside their own needs, sacrificing everything. They would die for each other, they would die for you, they have died for us.
We know this day stirs old memories of those they have lost. Battle buddies who sat with them in a trench, a hooch, on the deck of a carrier, on a stretch of beach but didn’t make it through. The sounds and smells of war come back, not only today, but late at night when everyone in the house is asleep. For it’s not just the physical harm they risked, what they put on the line was their soul, sacrificing their own sense of peace. What many have worked so hard to get back is the same certainty they had during the war: a cause or person who makes them feel that life matters as much now as it did back then. Hand to hand; face-to-face; eye-to-eye; brother-to-brother; soul-to-soul.
Some have weathered the toll of war better than others. The men and women who have trudged through fields, jungles and urban decay have to regain their balance in fog of war. Today, when the word veteran is greatly shortchanged by stereotypes, when they themselves are politicized, finding their inner peace hasn’t been easy. For some, the search has proven elusive, and others struggle. But many who have reclaimed it, work tirelessly to help those who are still on the march, trying to catch their breath. They are, and always will be warriors.
This is why we gather on Veteran’s Day: to see and honor the brotherhood between those who have served and continue to do so. Because the truth is, love is what keeps the weave of brotherhood strong. And where there is love, there is beauty so awe-inspiring, it overwhelms and can break your heart. All we have to say are five simple words: “Thank you for your service.”
Best Regards,
Kanani
PBS Regarding War
PR Team, Restrepo
Writer, The Kitchen Dispatch
