Taken For Granted

I attended a graduation ceremony at Fort Jackson.  All the newly trained young men and women marched around Hilton Field in their uniforms.  I can't remember the guest speaker's name or rank but he gave us all an inspiring and patriotic talk.  While negotiating in Iraq, he met an Iraqi leader. This leader brought his grandson along.  The man asked for permission for his grandson to touch an Army soldier.  The leader explained that when his grandson became a grandfather, he wanted him to be able to say he touched an Army soldier who helped bring democracy to his country.  The Iraqi leader went on to say that he was concerned about the transition from American forces to Iraqi forces.  He said he knew where the Army soldier's loyalty was - to the mission.  He didn't feel as confident about the loyalty of his fellow Iraqi countrymen. He said the Iraqi counterparts may have their main loyalty to their family or to their clan leader.  Our speaker went on to say that the American Army is taken for granted.  People know and trust that a warrior is committed to the mission.  The American public and the American media take that for granted.  Other countries take that for granted.  He said it is a badge of honor that the integrity of an American soldier is taken for granted.  He went on to say that the family of American soldiers are also taken for granted.  And we in the audience can take that as a badge of honor as well.  It's not often that I hear such patriotic speeches.  What I read and hear in the media is not patriotic. I find it refreshing to hear another point of view spoken so eloquently and adorned with personal experiences.