War! What is it good for?

Today is Veterans Day, a day of remembrance of all those who have fought for this republic commonly known as the United States of America. Each Veterans Day, I find myself thinking back to my time in the Army Reserve and how I could have easily been one of those soldiers who said goodbye mom, and never returned. I was never near any combat. I’ve never even been stationed overseas. However, I could have been.

Back in 1990 at the start of the Gulf War, just before Desert Shield became Desert Strom, I had just completed boot camp. With days from graduation, my comrades and I wondered if we would receive orders sending us back to our respective units, in our respective home states, or if we would get revised orders sending us to Saudi Arabia.

In my mind I knew this was the reality of what I had signed up for, war. After all the training and the monthly paycheck, and the G.I. Bill benefits, and the war stories, war was the bottom line. That is what each of us were there for, the possibility and maybe eventuality of war. Whether we had accepted it or not, all this preparation was for war. I had no illusions about that reality. However, I had no clue about being in a real war. I still don’t, despite all the months of training in everything from Basic Rifle Marksmanship, to Atomic, Biological, and Chemical warfare, to Land Navigation. I suspect nothing prepares one for the reality of war. I liken it to sex. No matter how many times one has read, watched, or heard about it. Ain’t nothing like the real thing,

Oddly enough, when I returned to my home unit per my orders, I was a bit dismayed. My entire section had been mobilized for the Gulf or had a related assignment in Europe. It was just I. To this day, I still don’t know why.

After re-watching Saving Private Ryan, I realized that war could bring out the best in us, whether we are in the military or civilians at home. It often takes catastrophe to bring out compassion.

War is treated as the final word in settling conflicts. Not because it is the best way but it is what we know. It is part of our human nature to fight (or flight) when faced with imminent danger or to ultimately get our way.

To be clear, some wars are necessary and/or unavoidable. This is not to be confused with a “good war” (where the threat of an imminent conflict neutralizes it). That is the prayer with war if we must have them.

I once read that when a conflict escalates or drags on, it’s because at least one side is holding on to an irrational position. Human nature being what it is, it’s always the other guy who is the irrational one.