The Soldier’s Commitment – honoring their word to their country and each other

When the framers of our nations Declaration of Independence made their commitment to its principles they said, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” Yet even as they signed their names, it was the commitment of Soldiers at places like Lexington, Concord, Ticonderoga, and Bunker Hill that breathed the very meaning into its words and provided the hope of realizing its promise.

From Valley Forge to Yorktown, it was the commitment of its Soldiers that won America its freedom and from Yorktown to Iraq it has been the commitment of her Soldiers that has preserved that freedom. Without that commitment, the Declaration of Independence would have been just another piece of paper, America would not have come into existence, long endured, or have had any hope for a peaceful and successful future.

It is a sad fact of life that the politicians, and those in power, start wars and that it is the Soldiers, their families, and the people of the nations they represent who bleed, die, suffer, and otherwise pay the price of war. It’s an amazing thing that a nation can send its sons and daughters off to bleed and die in a war even while it debates whether or not it should have gotten into that war in the first place and how long it will stay in it. What a strange dichotomy; the very freedoms that our Soldiers are fighting for end up providing aide and comfort to the very enemy they are fighting.

Yet, in spite of this, each day our Soldiers pay the price of war and do their duty. And what a price it is, a price not only in lives lost but bodies, lives, and families maimed forever, both physically and mentally. How can they do it day after day, particularly when, at times, it seems that the nation they are fighting for is divided on its commitment to the very war they are fighting?

Why would they risk their very lives and be willing to pay the “price” in the face of, not only, such indecisiveness but actions that just plain make their job more dangerous? An Ole Seagull would suggest that it is because of their “commitment,” being true to their word, to an oath taken, their fellow Soldiers, and honor, the Soldier’s Commitment.

The Soldier’s Commitment begins with the oath that each takes the day they enlist. In taking that oath each Solider makes the commitment that they “will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;” that they “will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;” and “obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over them.”

From the outset, the Soldier’s Commitment is to obey the orders of the President and the officers appointed over them. They don’t get to vote on whether or not the President is right or wrong, to pick where or when they fight, or which orders are obeyed or not obeyed. It makes no difference whether the war is popular or not with the public, the Soldier’s Commitment is to fulfill their oath and do their duty no matter what the personal cost or sacrifice is to themselves.

Although in most cases the Soldier’s Commitment to their fellow Soldiers is unspoken, it is there. It is an inherent part of military camaraderie and provides the motivation that empowers Soldiers to do their duty in the face of fear, loneliness, and the constant horrors of war.

Throughout the great history of this nation it has been the Soldier’s Commitment and its spirit, at places like Valley Forge, the Alamo, Gettysburg, Belleau Wood, Pearl Harbor, the Beaches of Normandy, the Chosin Reservoir, Vietnam, Kuwait, Iraq, and countless other places, that has inspired a nation and changed the course of history. It is, at once, both a perfect illustration of what it means to be true to your word and that true commitment comes at a price. What a blessed nation America is that her Soldiers have always been willing to pay that price.

This column is respectfully dedicated to Scotty West, a 2003 Branson High School graduate, and his family, mom Leanne, a teacher in Kirbyville, dad Scott, a supervisor with Empire Electric, his younger sister Mariah, and his brother, Sam. On Dec. 16, 2005, while serving with the United States Army in Iraq, Scotty, was seriously injured by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The injuries he sustained required that both of his legs be amputated below the knee and has placed Scotty in a virtual constant battle for his life requiring numerous surgeries, the most recent of which was on Jan. 18. Those wishing to encourage Scotty or thank him for his service may do so by mail to: PFC Scott West, c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 6900 Georgia Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20307-5001 or, on the internet, through www.caringbridge.com. Just click on “Visit a Caring Bridge Site” and type in “scottywest.”