VETERAN'S DAY 2015: BRAVADO OR SOMBER QUESTIONS?

Just as we are about to celebrate Veteran's Day, it is reported that Military funding for programs to recruit people for military service is under investigation by Senator Jeff Flake and John McCain,
Republicans of Arizona.*

The Senate investigation has produced a 100-page report which has unearthed questionable Military marketing contracts for $6.8 million with  professional sports teams by all leagues in what is termed
"paid for patriotism."

Instead of spending time and energy on developing ill advised contracts with organizations already profitable without the addition of tax payers money, the Military failed to first ask itself a number of
important questions.  Questions like:

Are the promises we make to recruit people for military service fulfilled?

Could it be that people no longer respond to the call for military recruitment because
we are less than honest with plans for the Military future?

Is it possible that people no longer wish to respond to recruitment policy
that seems to make one group of people less deserving than another?

Do we question the fairness of tax payers money to enrich major and minor sports leagues
so the Military can stage a patriotic message?

Could it be that the military has forgotten the worth of human life?

This Veteran's Day we need to honor the men, women and families who have served and who do serve this Country by working to fulfill our promises to them not through questionable bravado
or "paid for patriotism" but with our honest and somber gratitude.


*Emmarie Huetteman, New York Times (11-05-2015)