May is Military Appreciation Month

Published 9:50 am Tuesday, May 16, 2023

To the Editor:

Officially designated by U.S. Congress in 1999, Military Appreciation Month takes place every year throughout the entire month of May to ensure the nation was given the chance to publicly show their appreciation for those serving or have served in the military past and present. The military has changed from when transgenders and drag queens were kicked out of the military to today when they are encouraged to join. The T.V. show M.A.S.H. showing the Korean War in the 1950 had one man who dressed in  women’s clothes because he wanted the military to kick him out. Now the military is trying to get more drag queens to join. According to pastor Geoffrey Grider the U.S. Navy invited an active duty drag queen to be a recruiter or digital ambassador “to attract the most talented and diverse workforce” to boost military membership. According to Matt Gaetz there have been drag queen story hours on some military bases. Gay men, lesbian women and bisexual were considered mentally ill until 1973. Transgenders were considered mentally ill until recently. The U.S. military excluded gay men, bisexual and lesbian from service until 1993 when the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy was begun by President Clinton.

While America 2023 has changed more and is more divided than ever we can be united in our respect and love for our military. I thank the Elizabethton Star for the great job they do in supporting and informing military members and veterans. Carter County has always been veteran-friendly. Some cities aren’t veteran friendly. Fox News said in New York they are kicking homeless American veterans out of hotels to put illegal aliens in. A poll by the Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation found 57 percent believe that gender was determined by birth and 68 percent oppose puberty blockers for young children. Tennessee was the first state to ban puberty blockers and mutilation of children but the law is be challenged in court.

I agreed with President Trump when he banned transgenders in the U.S. military. Trump said, “Our military must be focused in decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with tremendous medical cost and disruption that transgenders in the military would entail.”  One report said military transgender surgeries would cost 1 billion dollars over the next decade. Those having the surgery would be in a non-deployable condition. Average cost of each surgery was over $130,000, not including the cost of hormones to be taken forever. Those having problems with their surgeries would receive service-connected disabilities payments for the rest of their lives. Infections are common for the surgeries.

It’s a high calling to have served in the American military especially in this time of all-volunteer military. They deserve our respect and admiration which they receive in East Tennessee. They deserve to be thanked when you meet one. Many restaurants in East Tennessee thank military veterans and active duty by giving them free food on Veterans Day in November. Those serving in military come away with disciple and leadership qualities that only come from military service making them highly desirable for all employers. Most of the best policeman, fireman, teachers and government leaders have served in the military.

American military veterans and active duty deserve the highest recognition. According to www.prageru.com if the Nobel Peace Prize was given out to people who did the most to make the world a more peaceful place the United States military would win every year. The Nobel Prize is the world’s most prestigious award with each recipient receiving a 18 karat gold medal and a check of about 1 million dollars. “The U.S. military saved the world from German domination in the First World War and saved the free world from German and Japanese fascism in the Second World War. The U.S. military saved the free world from communism in the Cold War. The reason America is free and the reason anyone on earth today is free is ultimately thanks to the U.S. Military. It’s not just the open conflicts the U.S. military resolves; it’s the not-wars-all the conflicts that were never fought because our enemies feared the consequences of American military involvement. The American military stands guard over the world’s shipping lanes. Block those lanes and the price of everything skyrockets and international commerce stops and millions starve. The U.S. military has been and remains as close to a global sheriff as exists on Earth, keeping the peace!”

The Bible has helped and comforted military members since the time of General George Washington. I like the slogan of  Washington and his soldiers, “No King but King Jesus!” The daughter of a British World War I veteran says a bullet-scarred pocket Bible saved her father’s life. The Bible says in these last days before Jesus returns evil and sinfulness people would increase and dangerous times would come (2 Timothy 3). So the military and police are needed more than ever. The military and police are serving God by restraining evil and providing justice, law and order. (Romans 13:4) The least we can do is thank, respect and pray for them.

Thank you military veterans and active duty. The Bible in John 15:13 says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” It takes love and courage to be willing to lay down your life for friends, family and country. I like the bumper sticker that says, “Do you follow Jesus this close?” I also like the bumper sticker that said, “Get behind our military or get in front of it.” I really love the bumper sticker that said, “Only two defining forces ever died for you. The military veteran for your life and Jesus for your soul!”

D.D. Nave, Major, USAFR(I)

Elizabethton