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Flag Day -- What The Flag Means To Me
(June 14, 2009) |
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| SOUTHWEST ASIA (6/14/2009 - AFNS) -- I
remember being a young boy in elementary school when every
day would start out with the Pledge of Allegiance. I must
have said it a million times, and I was always proud to live
in a country that promised liberty and justice for all. I
was proud of my country and considered myself blessed to
have been born in it. History class was captivating for me
as I learned about the early Americans and all that they
endured to defend the ideas I'd been taught to revere and
all that had been accomplished in a nation that valued
ingenuity and sacrifice. I often imagined what it would be
like to have been a soldier in any of the countless wars
where our nation's freedom and sovereignty had been
threatened.
Now, roughly 20 years later, I am proud to be a member of
that country's armed forces, dedicated to its defense and to
the defense of the principles it represents. Principles the
first patriots fought and died for. They fought for liberty
from the oppression of selfish men who cared nothing for the
rights of others, and for more than 200 years patriots have
fought and died to protect those rights wherever and
whenever they were under attack. Now I share in the
responsibility of upholding and defending those principles
that have taken a small collection of colonies and turned
them into the most powerful nation in the world. It is both
humbling and inspiring.
The flag is more than just an identifier of our nation, it
represents those principles and ideals that are sacred, that
are worth paying the ultimate price for, and that have been
paid for many times over. It represents everything that is
good about what our country stands for. It is draped over
the coffin of the fallen on their way home. It is given to
the family of the fallen as a reminder of their son or
daughter's valiant sacrifice and as a promise that their
sacrifice will not be forgotten or in vain.
The flag is a promise of freedom; freedom to life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness. Freedom from oppression,
whether religious, social or economic. The freedom to build
a better life for yourself and your family. It is this
promise that has brought people to the United States since
its inception, and a promise to defend those freedoms
wherever they are threatened.
Whenever the flag is raised, and the Star Spangled Banner
plays, I am always reminded of my own experiences in
survival, evasion, resistance and escape training. The
training is brief, but you experience a great deal in that
short time. As the flag was flown over the simulated
prisoner of war camp, I was overcome with a sense of pride
and appreciation for everything it represented. I was a
simulated POW for a day and a half, but that brief glimpse
into the true sacrifice of those who came before me will
remain with me forever.
I consider myself honored to be a representative of my
nation and its flag, representing and defending the freedom
and justice we all strive to stand for. Many Americans have
paid the ultimate price to ensure my country's continued
existence, I only hope that my actions and the way I live my
life reflect well upon them and myself | |
By Senior Airman Jonathan G. Hernandez
737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
Copyright 2009
Reprinted from
Air Force News Service
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