Just great people - the real 1%

It's probably impossible to accurately define average individuals in our nation, what with all the deliberate distortion created by groups seeking to separate themselves from the nation's culture into countless "diverse" groupings.  Instead of America-first language, we hear of "this"-American or "that"-American, rather than just American.  Labeling, by self and others, appears to have become a new national past-time:  self-labeling for political advantage and labeling of others for demagoguery and hostility.  But I offer that there are great people, the real 1% of our country, who are just regular, average citizens.

Who are they, you may ask?

They are the young men and women who voluntarily serve in the Armed Forces.  Superlative characterizations for them have, most fortunately, been in vogue during the recent wars.  Such was not the case when I joined the Marine Corps during the Vietnam war.  Gratifying and worthy as it has been to observe the nation rightfully recognize the sacrifice and service of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, I fear this respect will slide into platitudes and the like.  One sad indicator of this trend is the overused and insincere language employed by some of those elected to federal office (and others) who appear to be using the men and women in uniform insincerely as platforms upon which to build cases for their own aggrandizement or selfish benefit.  (FLOTUS using White House military aides as living "plotted plants" in the background of her appearance on the Oscar awards show immediately comes to mind.)

Every week, I volunteer at a local Marine Corps base and have the very great good fortune to interact on a one-on-one basis with young Marines and sailors.  They are members of the real 1% of our nation's population, the great people who serve in uniform.  And it is an all volunteer force.  They guys and gals are simply magnificent, representing our country in superb fashion.  Just regular folks, just great people, just average citizens.


These Marines and sailors are working hard, including going in harm's way, for relatively poor pay and benefits, not looking for handouts.  (By the way, our elected officials are attempting to reduce the meager pay and benefits of these men and women.)  They work long hours, seeking to earn promotions, not freebies.  They work as members of teams in pursuit of objectives, not as individuals seeking advantage over others in pursuit of selfish agendas.  They sacrifice in service to their nation, in service to a greater good, not to some divisive secular demand for some self-proclaimed "equality."  They understand advancement is based on merit and achievement, not affirmative action.  They rise to, rather than shirking from challenges.  They believe in and pray to their God.  They stand with pride and respect at the playing of our National Anthem, rather than scratching various parts of their anatomies as so "professional" athletes.  They will stop to smile at and assist a young child in a combat zone.  They seek self-improvement, not self-aggrandizement .  They cry at the sounds of taps for a fallen fellow warrior.  They run to the sounds of the guns, not away from the sounds of conflict.  They acquire skills and abilities they will eventually and inevitably employ in the civilian sector.  They understand accountability for their own actions, rather than blaming others for their shortfalls.  They have learned to be instantly and willingly obedient to lawful orders, not perpetually challenging of authority.  They stand to help one another, not step on one another.  They work as members of teams, not as collections of individuals.  They work hard, as a natural matter of course.  There is no part-time, only full-time, in their world.  They seek and accept responsibility and accountability for the performance of their assigned subordinates, rather than avoiding it.  When their units excel, they pass along the credit and kudos to their subordinates, rather than accepting praise and reward for themselves.  They display initiative, rather than hesitation.  They are generous to a fault.  They sanctify marriage and the family unit.  They value personal and institutional loyalty.  They celebrate the achievement of others, rather than criticize it.  They seek unity of effort, not diversity of approach.  They respect the differences of their fellow warriors and have learned to live and work together in pursuit of common objectives.    

While average citizens, these members of the real 1% achieve well above average achievements. 

But, then again, I could be very wrong about this characterization that they are average citizens.  At least  wrong based on what pundits and activists are spewing.  Too many, including the oft referred to mainstream media, political activists, hate mongers, victimologists, community organizers, union leaders, academics, political elites, elected officials, and government bureaucrats profanely distort characterizations of average citizenry, purporting to represent the average.  Actually, nothing could be further from the truth, because those so enamored of these distorted characterizations create and employ them to advance their personal agendas.  Interestingly, very, very seldom (almost never) do you encounter any of these individuals who has served in uniform.  (So much for their false proclamations that they represent average Americans.)  They run from personal responsibility, blaming others and all sorts of extraneous factors for their failures.

Nope, after careful consideration the hyperbole and other nonsense being spewed by some, I do believe it is incontrovertible that the average men and women in the Armed Forces, the real 1%, are very simply just great folks.