This was originally written on Veteran’s Day (November 11, 2022) as a day we set to honor America’s veterans for their commitment, service and sacrifice.
On this day each year, I also always want to remember, thank, and honor THOSE WHO DID NOT SERVE – when this country had a draft/conscription – because of HAVING THE COURAGE to live with commitment to their conscience and integrity about all wars or a specific one — sometimes at great personal sacrifice:
CONCIECSIOUS OBJECTORS who did alternative service, those who chose to GO TO PRISON rather than serve in the military or in what they considered an unjust war, and those who LEFT THEIR COUNTRY and moved to Canada during the Vietnam war for example.
“War inflicts terrible, tragic consequences on all touched by it. Moral conscience should not be one of its casualties.” ~ Chaplain (Col) Herman Keizer, Jr. US Army retired