Reply #2: Well, I went [View All]

I didn't (couldn't) stay for the ceremony inside the gym/field house. Somehow I knew it was going to be more than I could take.

There were banners, flags and people lined up all the way along the main street through town. The American Legion and VFW made sure everybody had a flag to wave. Something I thought was pretty touching, the Ford Heavy Truck Dealership which was on the route to the field house, made sure that the lights and flashers on every truck on the lot was on and blinking for the troops. Not only that, but as the troops came by, employees (mechanics, sales reps, janitors, secretaries etc) manned the trucks and blew the horns in salute to them.

In some ways, it was Americana at it's best.

At the Field house of the Catholic High School, there were two honor guards to lead the troops into the field house: One from the American Legion and the other from the Knights of Columbus. (Yes, I cringed a little but didn't make a fuss about it)

I was getting pretty emotional as the troops marched by to go into the field house.

There is only one thing noble about what these kids (and the older guys who are leading them) are doing: They are following in the best traditions of the American military in that they are faithfully carrying out the orders of their Civilian Commander-in-Chief.
That's the way its supposed to be. We can (theoretically at least) replace our Commander-in-chief through the elective process if he/she sends troops off to war contrary to our wishes. Our military doesn't wage war of it's own accord. It must be sent to war by Civilian leadership. The troops are following the letter and spirit of the Constitution. And that, my friends, is NOBLE.

Goodbye kids.

Godspeed.