VETERANS DAY SPEECH
NOV. 11, 2021
A woman I know discovered that I had been in the military, and with a combination of distress
and disdain in her voice, she exclaimed, “You were in the military!” “I can’t imagine you doing
that.” “Why were you in the military?” What she meant was, “how can I be one of them.” I
gave some thought to her remarks and particularly her discomfort with me having been in the
military. I wondered, “what goes on in the minds of people that lead them to think as she was
thinking.”
Well, it is easy to view men and women who were in the service as being different from those
who were not. People in the military wear uniforms, carry equipment, ride in vehicles, etc. that
are clearly different from civilians. Also, on television, movies, news, and print media, soldiers
and marines are often depicted as being like “Rambo” or “John Wayne.” Even now, much of
the attention is directed at our special forces with their camouflage attire, arsenal of weapons,
and combat activities. Except for holidays such as Christmas, Veterans Day, and Memorial Day,
the medias’ portrayal of people in the military is sensationalized. Based on these images from
the media, non-veterans may get the perception that people in the military can be cruel, overly
aggressive, hard drinkers, violent, destructive, and dangerously out of control. However, we
veterans, our families and friends, and the families of those currently in service or have served
in the past, know that these depictions are the exception, not the rule. Nonetheless, that is the
reference many civilians get and therefore develop about those in uniform. So, I can see how
she could think, “I can’t imagine you doing that.”
The thought, “How can I be one of them,” also begs the question? What does a veteran look
like or what does a veteran do? When I look around, I see ordinary citizens going about their
lives, taking care of their families, holding responsible positions at their place of employment or
in their businesses. On the surface, veterans conduct themselves the same as everyone else.
We are indistinguishable from the rest of the adult community. Unless you specifically ask, you
wouldn’t know that your clergy, politician, first responder, realtor, company vice president,
photographer, insurance salesman, physician, etc. are veterans.
But most importantly, what makes a person enter the military? There are as many reasons for
being in the military as there are veterans. For many, it was an opportunity to experience the
world outside of their community or to obtain employment. For others, it was a feeling of
patriotic duty. Again, there are countless reasons for people to choose to be in the military.
However, there is an underlying common thread tying together all who serve or served in the
military. It begins with the primary mission of the military. That mission is to protect our
nation, our community, and our families from threats wherever they may arise. Everyone in
the military took an oath to do their part in fulfilling this mission. And everyone in all of the
branches of the armed services received training to enable us to do whatever we were called to
do, including sacrificing ourselves for the benefit of all Americans. That doesn’t make veterans
better than non-veterans. It only means that, by enrolling in the military, we have agreed to a
specific role in safeguarding our nation and our democratic way of life. Thanks to the good
wishes and support of many in the general population, we who served in uniform are
reminded, on this Veterans Day, that we are who we believe we are, noble warriors who served
our country in whatever capacity that entailed. So yes, I am proud to be one of them.
Jack Kirschenbaum Commander
American Legion Post 522
Monroe Twp, NJ
Unaffiliated Veterans , please consider joining Monroe Township's Veteran organizations:
Residents of Stonebridge, Renaissance, and Rossmoor can join the Veterans club in their
communities. In addition, residents of Monroe and surrounding areas can join the Korean War
Veterans Chapter 148, Jewish War Veterans Post 609, and American Legion Post 522. There are
no restrictions as to when you served in the military.
