Monday Morning Boost: Living The Warrior Creed For Veterans
As American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coasties, we always place the mission first, we never accept defeat, we never quit, and we never leave a fallen comrade.
WE LIVE THE WARRIOR CREED
As a community, we must also honor this Warrior Creed and not abandon our veteran brothers and sisters, our veteran friends and neighbors, our veterans who live right here among us.
They are part of our mission as a community. Let us not accept defeat, let us never quit, and let us never allow a veteran to fall through the cracks of complacency and bureaucracy… and become a fallen comrade.
22 VETERANS A DAY KILLED BY SU;C;DE
Every day 22 veterans are killed by su;c;de. Two of these were men I served with in Iraq… Sheldon Loveless and my good friend Clyde Kramme. They and each of the 22 veterans are the comrades we must never leave behind.
UNSUNG HEROES
There are many “Unsung Heroes” who have served our country but have fallen through the cracks and have been forgotten. Unsung Heroes include the homeless veterans who have died without being honored. Unsung Heroes are those who have served but have lost the battle to the darkness of PTSD, trauma, addiction, and mental illness. Unsung heroes are the comrades we must never leave behind.
KILLED IN ACTION
Two of those we honor are my friends Marine Lance Corporal Michael J. Allred and Army Sergeant First Class Ronald Wood. Michael, who was my neighbor just down the street in Hyde Park, was killed in Iraq on September 6, 2004. Ron was part of our unit in Iraq and was killed on July 16, 2005.
WE LIVE THE WARRIOR CREED
For Michael Allred and Ron Wood, and each of the fallen, we live the Warrior Creed. For Sheldon Loveless and Clyde Kramme and each of the 22 killed by su;c;de, we live the Warrior Creed. For the Unsung Heroes who have slipped through the cracks, we live the Warrior Creed. For each of you who struggle, we live the Warrior Creed.
“I” MUST LIVE THE WARRIOR CREED
It’s easy, relatively, to talk in the generalities of we, in that we must do more as a community to help our veterans. But nothing of substance will happen if we wait for others.
You’ll notice the Warrior Creed is written in the first person. Thus, I must live the Warrior Creed.
I am an American Soldier.
I am a warrior and a member of a team.
I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.
I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
I am an expert and I am a professional.
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
I am an American Soldier.
“We” come alive when “I” go to work.
Have a great Monday. Thanks for letting me share!
Les
p.s. Take 13 minutes today to Live The Warrior Creed.
