Introduction
“To serve is to guarantee citizenship…” Military members often repeat this line from Starship Troopers—not as a joke, but as a real observation about the body of the military. (I promise that I am not making a political article—stay with me here.)
The military needs people to be in the jobs that they have. Sometimes, many of the service members do not do anything on a normal basis. One can only do so much training, right? Wrong. Training is the basis of every military member that works. This is how the United States has the most well-trained military in the world. When they are not doing their job, they are doing the work that their job necessitates.
Training as the Backbone of Service
Training is the backbone of the military. If there is nothing to do that day, Uncle Sam will make certain that it gets its pound of flesh from you. Redundant training is the key to staying alive. It is the key to keeping oneself able-bodied and fit; ready for the day and the conflicts to come.
Service is sacrifice.
The Meaning of Service and Sacrifice
Service is a required component of being in the United States Military. The Armed Services require it. Then service is also sacrifice.
Every enlisted person in the United States who serves signs a DD-4, the “Oath of Enlistment.”(Officers enter through appointment or commissioning; both receive a DD-214 at the end of their time.) Each oath reflects a clear expectation of sacrifice. They sign their name to a “dotted” line, and it states that they are writing a blank check to the United States Government, up to and including their life, for the betterment of the United States of America, its allies, and the people of the world—most importantly for the Brothers and Sisters on their right and left.
Sacrifice at the highest level.
Life After Service: The Loss of Identity
When a military member gets out of the service—whether their time is up, medical issues force them out, other-than-honorable circumstances arise, or their contract ends—there is still a nagging tug at the base of their reasoning.
The tug that makes them miss what they were doing. The excitement. The camaraderie. The brotherhood. The service. They miss it all.
This creates an area of need that is often not understood: the need to become the next better version of themselves. Rather, it hurts and nags at their souls. The Veteran, at that point, does not know what the next step is. Their service was their identity. It was woven into the fabric of who they are and why they existed.
This creates that feeling: “I am not enough.”
This feeling leads to alcoholism, drug misuse (that—and the VA prescribes without remorse for Schedules I and II), suicide, and other negative outcomes. Feeling lost is oftentimes what leads to these unfortunate outcomes.
Rediscovering Service in Civilian Life
Veterans often forget that sacrifice is part of their commitment to the United States. When they get out, they try to find things that help remind them of their service—oftentimes without the sacrifice element.
Remember, sacrifice is different for every individual. What is sacrifice for one person may not be sacrificial to another, thus making a conundrum for those who served.
But finding something to donate time to is often something that is taught by psychologists and psychiatrists in order to get past these feelings. Volunteering for a nonprofit organization is often not near the element of service that one wants because they don’t see a need that is required by every element. That is okay.
Volunteer to your church or other community that requires a time commitment. Time is always the hardest to sacrifice because we are all always “busy.” Life often gets in the way of not feeling full.
A Personal Reflection on Service
Service is sacrifice. It is the way to make sure that your heart stays full.
I was reminded of this myself this week, as I was standing “guard” at my church. Being the point-man at church to hold off those who would do us harm seems insignificant, but there is the possibility of being able to do dangerous things again.
Being an Infantryman, a combat specialist, this makes me feel the responsibilities that I once had as a serviceman. The sacrifice is that I will again give up my life to make certain that people are safe and that no harm is done to my fellow parishioners.
The other sacrifice is that we have to give up a couple of hours of my week every 4–6 weeks. It’s insignificant, but it gives me that feeling of belonging and turns my hyper-vigilance into a trustworthy tool. Turning the negative into a positive—knowing that you are one of the few who can do violence for good. (Maybe a little bit of a hero complex goes with that too.)
But it helps.
Closing Thoughts: Filling the Void
The demons that often enter Veterans’ lives are based on not feeling fulfilled. Now, I will admit that is conjecture, but it is from the standpoint of what I lost when I was medically retired from the United States Army.
So with little authority, but from what I hear when I speak with other Veterans—the feelings of loss and guilt are real. The ability to serve in a manner that makes them feel worthy of something is almost imperative to their souls.
It makes it important to serve something.
The sacrifice they feel when they give up their time is often enough. Sometimes, it needs to be the sense of danger and/or the element of knowing that they are responsible for saving someone’s life.
Their sacrifice is the service.
