Letter to the Editor: No one ever dies for nothing in war

“In times of trouble and in war, God and soldiers we adore.”

Dear Editor:

Recently, I had the privilege of reading an article written by one of the staff members of your newspaper. If memory serves me correctly, the article was written under the Political Junkie column of Oct. 12. The article concerned the act of war, those that have participated in combat and how needless the act of war and its destruction truly are.

I will tell you that I spent 25 years of my life serving in the armed forces of this great nation, both during combat and peacetime. I’ve seen some of my men maimed and/or killed and some who have been psychologically destroyed. In the article, the writer indicated and stated that soldiers die for no reason and there is no just reason for war.

I wonder if any enemy of this nation were in his backyard, if his opinion about the justification of war would change. I wonder if the writer of the article believes that soldiers who go to war enjoy the thought of dying or never being the same person again.

So, I will tell you that no soldier who has served in combat, no matter what era, gave his life for no reason; he died for the love of his fellow soldiers to his right and left. Service to one’s nation is not dedicated to a symbol or ideology; it is something that can’t be explained until you’ve been there.

Personally, I would never die for this country; I’d rather have the other guy die for his. But rest assured, many soldiers have given their lives for me, and that is why I can sit here and write this letter. But I see everyday and sometimes read about, how one war was better than other wars, as indicated by the writer of Political Junkie. So, Mr. Yurcan, for what reason did your family members die?

Finally, any person that has seen and been engaged in combat never wants to see it again. I thank all those that have made the supreme sacrifice. They did not forfeit their lives for nothing. They did it for you and me.

Sgt. John Archer

Safety & Security