Vets Have Talent!

November 18th, 2010

Today’s message is for all military veterans, but primarily for those of you who have officially concluded your military service. If you are still serving, there’s stuff in here for you as well. One day you, too, will take off the uniform. Believe me – I know. After 31 years on active duty, I am now a civilian as of August 2005.

Vets have talent.

The above statement is absolutely true, but hugely underestimated for its degree of truth. Many, if not most, Americans have no real concept or appreciation for the abilities of individual veterans, nor for the collective skills and capabilities of the massive vet population in the United States.

Veterans, this is not a knock on our nation or the American people at large. It’s also not a reason for you to feel sorry for yourselves or become bitter. Nor is it a reason to give in and fail to become all you can be in this life. It’s none of these things.

Rather, it’s a wake-up call for veterans across our land to step up and assume their rightful places in American society. When you entered duty in your respective branch of military service, America needed you and your unique skills and capabilities. You served well and faithfully, and contributed to maintaining the freedoms this great nation still continues to enjoy. Thank you.

Some of you may recall the draft invoked by Uncle Sam during the Viet Nam War. Joining the military via the draft may not have been your first choice, but you went anyway. You honored this nation and yourself by answering that call, and I would hope that the vast majority of you can say that serving your country was a great honor and privilege.

Today there is no draft, but America needs you desperately. Don’t believe me? Look around, fellow veterans. We live in a great country, but we have our problems. Plenty of them. Crime, poverty, unemployment, education, drugs, domestic violence, homeless people (many are vets), and the list goes on. In many respects, our culture is “me first” and there is little thought of responsibility to other people. I think of school teachers who tell me of their utter feelings of helplessness in controlling their classrooms.

Excuse, me, but there is something wrong with this picture- something seriously wrong. Do the descriptions in the above paragraph match the values for which you stand? Did you do your military service so that we can have a nation of people focused on nothing but self? Does the above paragraph seem to match “the land of the free and the home of the brave?”

Veterans, America needs you. So get ready. In upcoming blogs I will be sharing information regarding how to get ready- ready for some of the most satisfying and productive service of your life. Service that will truly have a positive impact on this great nation we call America.

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Time for An Azimuth Check

November 18th, 2010

In my last blog entry I attempted to demonstrate that America needs you more than ever. Why? Because our nation needs to adjust its course. In too many important areas, we are moving along the wrong course. We need to change our direction in crucial areas like the economy, crime, immigration, and health reform to name a few.

In the current Presidential election race, both Senator McCain and Obama cite the need for a change. But what direction do we take? The answers are not always simple. The issues require careful examination.

Let me illustrate. As an Infantry platoon leader in Viet Nam, my unit often operated in thick jungle. Navigation was difficult. The vegetation was so thick at times that we had to cut a pathway using machetes. Some days we traveled as little as 500-600 meters. In vegetation that thick, determining the right direction could only be achieved by use of a lensatic compass and maintaining a careful pace count in order to know how far we had traveled. Getting lost or disoriented could easily happen. With the lives of my men at stake, I never considered that a good option. I used safeguards to keep that from occurring.

Before I tell what these were, let me tell you what I didn’t do. As the leader, I didn’t assume that I was infallible with my navigation and map reading skills. I knew that I needed to use sources outside of myself to get on the right course and stay on course.

On an individual level, I observe people everyday who are trying to navigate their journey through life completely on their own. They are intelligent and capable men and women in many cases, but their approach is not working. They are like ships without rudders. Ships like that are dangerous—for themselves and for others.

What about your direction in life? Are you headed in a good direction? Or could there be need for a change in direction?

Back to my situation in the jungles of Viet Nam. At times along our route, I would communicate to my squad leaders: “Time for a map and azimuth check.”

Some of you have been there, done that, and know exactly what I’m talking about. For those unfamiliar, I will cover that next time. Until then, I ask you to consider these words from Scripture:

“Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.”
Proverbs 3:13,14 (NIV)

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Changing Our Course

November 17th, 2010

Change is a word thrown around a lot these days, especially relative to the direction our nation is heading. Many clamor for a different direction, and often for valid reasons. Change for change’s sake, however, doesn’t necessarily mean forward progress. It takes making an accurate assessment, one characterized by careful thought and wisdom. It also takes integrity, courage, and sacrifice.

Let’s consider the need for a change in direction at the personal level. Truthfully, more is said about change than done. Why? Because most change is not easy, and we tend to be creatures of habit. We like things the way they are. For some, change can seem like a ‘near death’ experience!

How about you? Are you a person who readily tackles and succeeds in making changes in your life?

But suppose you sense that it is time to get serious about changing your direction in one or more areas of our lives. How do you start?

Going back to the example of traveling thru the jungles of Viet Nam, it was critical to know our location and direction. As the platoon leader, I would periodically call my squad leaders together for a map and azimuth check.’ This simply meant that we would use the combination of a map and lensatic compass to determine our present location and to verify that we were moving in the right direction toward our destination. Simply looking at the surrounding area wouldn’t work. By using a team approach, we consistently got it right.

Making course adjustments in our individual lives takes effort, and I’ve personally found that I need more than myself. I need God’s Word and counsel, and I need the help, support, and encouragement of others whom I respect.

Veterans, I would not presume to tell any of you that you need to change your direction. But I will confess that I need to make changes and I’m in that process as I write. I am determined to succeed, but I also know some change can be hard. I’m going to give it my best effort.

Our nation needs you—at your best. That may necessitate making a few changes. Let me encourage you in this effort. You have done noble things in the past for our nation. I believe you can do it again.

“But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands.”
(Isaiah 32:8 (NIV)

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