Medal of Honor Signifies True American Spirit
COMMENTARY | Reuters reports the most recent Medal of Honor recipient was awarded the highest military honor in America 42 years after his death. Specialist Leslie Sabo Jr. was 22 when he died May 10, 1970. Sabo saved his entire platoon that was pinned down by enemy fire in Cambodia during the Vietnam War.
The Medal of Honor typifies the true American spirit. Sabo died defending life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. He gave his life for his country even during an unpopular war. His death is an extreme example of American fortitude.
I am forever in the debt of the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for me every single day in the name of freedom. Nowhere else in the world does this happen with regularity.
Soldiers in Africa are mercenaries who kill for money, diamonds and oil. Armies in the Middle East may have religious tenets guiding military actions. Other countries such as China have annual conscription drives to insure large numbers in the military.
America has the largest volunteer army in the world. And a darn good one at that. Even with possible budget cuts looming on the horizon, the U.S. military will continue to fight onward. The American spirit of freedom for all will never die.
The Medal of Honor was created in 1861 to award "bravery and heroism" in action. There were 1,522 medals given out for actions during the U.S. Civil War, the most of any conflict. Only around 3,400 Medals of Honor have been awarded in all among the hundreds of thousands of brave soldiers who have died defending American beliefs.
Every time I hear bickering in Congress or political strife that divides ideologies, I wish our leaders would remember what true sacrifice means. No one asks members of Congress to fight for freedom at risk to their own lives. Yet decisions made in our nation's capital affect thousands of military families on a daily basis.
When Democrats and Republicans stare at each other waiting to see who blinks first in a game of fiscal chicken, I hope they remember what the true price of freedom is in today's world. The Medal of Honor comes pretty close to representing what the American ideal of sacrifice means. Congress should keep that in mind when deciding the fate of an entire country's well-being.
