The "Home of the Brave," performance honored our veterans and active men and women of the military. I was blown away by the performance. Under the tutelage of David and Deb, students left me shaking my head at the quality of the performance.
During one of several amazing pieces, David asked members of the armed forces, both past, present, and family members to stand when the Salute to the Armed Forces played.
Many stood, and it was a reminder that thousands of veterans and their families live humbly among us. We pass them at the mall. We pass them at the grocery store. They come from or move to, places like Boston, Carlisle, and Concord. We pass future veterans here in our own hallways.
The performance raised money for the Fisher House Foundation. An organization doing tremendous work. If you are interested in supporting this cause, you can send a check to the high school made out to the Fisher House Foundation. Please put CCHS Bands in the memo field. So far more than $2,500 has been raised. Well done, Mr. Gresko.
Fisher House Video
Although I did not need it, a recent message sent to my mother served as further evidence that the world is small. My mother received the following message last week from a student at George Washington University in D.C.
"Hello,
My name is Kevin, and I am a student at George Washington University. I am a history major engaged in an assignment in which we find a soldier who served in one of the world wars from as close to our hometown as possible. I found Francis J. Connolly, a veteran of World War II whose name appears on the Wall of the Missing at the Normandy American Cemetery. As I was conducting my research, I found a link to your family tree which included George W. Connolly and Helen T. O'Neill, Francis J. Connolly's parents, as well as Lillian Connolly, his sister."
Lillian Connolly is my grandmother. My mother Linda's mother. The Francis Connolly named among the missing is Lillian's brother. My mother's uncle. I asked my mother if she was aware of this family history. She responded, "his military picture sat on top of the television, but this was not discussed with the kids, and we dared not ask."
Needless to say, a powerful moment for me and my family. Please read on for a heartfelt thank you to all members of the armed forces and their families.
Veterans Day
Monday, 11 November we pause to say thank you to the men and women of the armed forces. We officially thank them as a nation annually on 11 November, but they deserve a thank you every day.
Lest one not forget the roughly 1.4 million active members of the military all enlist voluntarily. A fact so ingrained it is easy to take for granted.
Under current law, all male US citizens are required to register with the Selective Service within 30 days of their 18th birthday. The Selective Service System maintains information on those potentially subject to military conscription.
Conscription, commonly known as the draft, has been implemented in the US five times. The American Revolution, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Compulsory, or mandatory military service, exists in roughly 26 countries including some United States allies like Norway, Finland, Israel, Turkey, and South Korea, to name a few.
Stating the obvious, but the fact that young men and women voluntarily serve in the United States means those who wish not to serve, don't have to serve. This fact should not be taken for granted.
The sacrifice made to serve our country can only be known by those serving, but the tremendous sacrifice is broader than the men and women in uniform. Mothers, fathers, siblings, husbands, wives, and children of members of the military all sacrifice greatly.
I am proud to say that both my grandfathers, my uncle, and my father all served in the Army. One grandfather served in the Pacific during WWII.
The other parachuted into France the night before the D-Day invasion. His brother-in-law is the Francis Connolly named above. I have often wondered how he felt boarding the plane; surrounded by scared men to his left and right, what was going through his mind as he shuffled to the door, jumped from the plan, and floated to the ground? He was wounded in the war but survived. My uncle was shot in the jungles of Vietnam. Also wounded but survived.
I was too young to thank my grandfathers for their service, and I never told my uncle that I was grateful and proud. Opportunities missed, so thank you, Henry, thank you, Tom, thank you, David, thank you, James. I draw strength from their service, as whatever the perceived hardship I am enduring at any given time pales in comparison.
Republicans and Democrats are more divided along ideological lines than at any point in my lifetime. Regardless of what side of the aisle you align yourself with politically, we should all agree the men and women of our nation's military deserve our gratitude.
The great Winston Churchill once said, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." He was referring to a time more troubling, but I think it applies to all United States Veterans.
I encourage you to find a Veterans Day Ceremony this weekend. Sit quietly and listen, and when the service is over walk up to a Veteran, extend your hand, and say thank you. It is the least we can do.
With Gratitude,
Michael J. Mastrullo
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