“The Lord is my refuge and my fortress, in whom I trust.” ~ Psalm 91:2
The Military doesn’t care what your motivation is for
joining their ranks; they figure you’ll figure it out by the end of Basic
Training. As a combative teen lacking honest introspection, Aliyah joined to FIGHT…
to earn the same respect that male soldiers receive by default.
Her journey began with days of physical exertion that stretched
her physical limits, testing her fortitude and dedication. Those challenges
helped shape new levels of trust, integrity, and honor.
Facing heavy artillery
fire during an early mission, their Sergeant was mortally injured. “So, this
is real combat,” she thought – intense, bloody, primitive. Defenders and
attackers, each fighting for survival in the worst ways a human can endure and
inflict.
No rookie soldier
feels ready for battle, but when duty called, the Army’s core values kicked in.
Aliyah swallowed her fear and assumed the leadership role they needed.
Together, her team fought bravely, using their skills and teamwork to defend
their position and ensure the safety of their fellow soldiers.
Aliyah later sat with
her team, fatigue etched on every face, but their spirits were high. They’d
faced adversity and emerged stronger, united by their shared experience.
The U.S. Army was
American before America, born more than a year before the Declaration of
Independence. Today, we celebrate the 250th anniversary of its
creation by the Second Continental Congress in 1775.
The Army’s history is thus America’s history and extends far beyond battles, forts, and armaments.
As the
largest United States military branch, the Army has influenced all facets of
American life and culture, from technological innovation, business management
practices, and religious traditions.
How do they keep doing
it? Maybe it’s the American Flag in their hearts as they pressed forward while
bombs were exploding around them. Or the gratitude they felt for the freedom
provided by those who’d soldiered before them.
While the Army's
mission does involve armed combat, its scope extends far beyond
combat. The Army's mere presence discourages potential adversaries from
initiating aggression. They also provide essential support and assistance to
communities affected by natural disasters in this country and around the globe.
The Army’s core values
of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal
Courage are intended to develop smart, thoughtful, and innovative soldiers of high
moral character.
God bless our soldiers
serving today, and those who are still fighting battles in their minds.
“[M]y final prayer is this: that God will
bless America, so that she may increasingly become, and long remain: ’One
Nation, under God, indivisible. With liberty and justice for all.’ God bless
America!” ~ Pope John Paul II, 10/7/1979, after his first
papal visit to the US
