Veteran’s Day - North American Shop Hop

The Oath of Office (for officers):
“I, _____ (SSAN), having been appointed an officer in the _____ (Military Branch) of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God.”

The Oath of Enlistment (for enlisted):
“I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

What is a veteran? A Veteran is a man or woman who has raised their right hand and taken one of the two oaths shown above, to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States of America. They have agreed that for some years of their life, they will become government property, going where they’re told to go, and doing what they’re told to do.

When their commanding officer says jump, the answer is not why, but how high? Commands are to be followed, not discussed or debated. The essential reality of their lives is that they have sworn to preserve our freedoms and protect us against all threats, foreign or domestic; to put their lives at risk in order that we might have the freedoms that we so treasure. They have agreed to spend a portion of their lives as government property, giving up the freedoms that we enjoy in order to allow us to continue to enjoy them.

As we celebrate Veterans Day, remember that for these men and women, freedom was never free. They paid a price for it, by being away from family and friends for many holidays, by missing sporting events, school plays, birthdays and for some even the births of their children. They packed their gear and went overseas, even if they were terrified to be there. They sacrificed parts of their bodies to physical assault or parts of their minds to the horrors they saw in combat situations. They returned home and endured stares at scars or missing limbs, and fought through the urge to dive for cover at every loud noise. They deserve both our gratitude and our respect, whether we agree with the politics behind the battles they were asked to fight or not. May God bless each and every one of them, and the families who supported and continue to support them.

Want to do more? Contact the Quilts of Valor Foundation (https://www.qovf.org/) and find a chapter near you. This group makes quilts to honor veterans for their service.

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