Jason was a twelve-year veteran noncommissioned officer of the reserve component when he received word that his unit was activated. As a father, I was concerned for his safety. He’s a good kid. I know the amount of training that a reservist goes through. I knew that he would be seeing things in battle that he could not even dream of. I wondered if he would come home safely. As an admiral, I was also concerned about what our actual mission was there. These were questions that many of my colleagues at senior levels had. Is this a just cause? If so what is the strategic plan? Now it was more personal. What is the impact going to be on my kid and all the other kids serving over there? I had the personal emotions of a father as well as the emotions of an admiral, and sergeant, who has also been in combat; who understood how difficult war is.
I gave Jason many words of advice. The thing I stressed most was not to ever feel complacent or safe in a combat zone. Always be aware, looking around. When you’re out on patrol or on a convoy, when things look good, and when it’s quiet you always have to be thinking ahead. You have to be asking yourself what would happen if we got hit. What is the immediate action drill for a near ambush or a far ambush? You don’t have time to think and react. You do it instinctively. I gave him a mini tutorial in combat. I didn’t want to scare him. But I wanted to raise his awareness. It was one way I tried to prepare my son for war.
Having been a person who has dealt with emergencies it takes a lot to push my buttons. Whether being an operator, lifeguard, trauma nurse, or surgeon, emergencies have been a part of life. This was different. This time it was my son. I knew where he was. I would hear the battle reports from the day, and I would wonder how he was doing. Every few days we got a reassuring satellite call or an email that would say everything was fine. Having been in combat myself, you know about its uncertainty. The reality is that there is no certainty until that plane lands on U.S. soil and you’re okay. As it got closer to his return you start thinking, I hope it’s not my kid that something happens to a week before coming home.
May we wholeheartedly love, obey, and serve you, Lord, in our youth and as we get older. May we never become half-hearted in our loyalty to you, God.
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12)