Honor, service, and sacrifice.

Saturday I will join what will undoubtedly be a large contingent of fellow veterans and bikers as we roll in the first of two missions to honor Staff Sergeant Louis Cardin, U.S. Marine Corps, KIA.  He was killed in combat last week in northern Iraq, in a war POTUS declared to be over.

I could write extensively about the political dimension, but choose not to, as it would dishonor my fellow Marine.  I write, instead, comparing those who send Marines to war and those Marines who go to war.

From POTUS to Congress to SecDef, the integrity deficit is profound.  Elected and appointed officials send our best and brightest to foreign shores to fight without the Constitutionally mandated declaration of war.  For far too long our young men and women have answered their country's call in these undeclared wars.  And often they do so in the shadows.  Case in point: the nation was unaware the Marines have an artillery battery from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit in Northern Iraq until SSgt Cardin's death forced their hand.  And the official spokesmen have acknowledged that the "troop ceiling' number they tout is inaccurate.  Using phrases like "temporary assignment," the actual numbers of men and women going is harm's way are much larger.  Utterly shameful.  The lack of honor, integrity, and ethics is monumental.  Balanced against this ineptitude are the courage and commitment of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines sent into harm's way.

These men and women embody what is best about our great nation.  All they ask, and have a right to expect, are competent leaders who will respect and honor their service and sacrifice, as well as their very lives.  These men and women stand head and shoulders above the elected and appointed officials, save some of those who have honorably served our nation in uniform and now speak out forcibly on their behalf.  

Not one of the average elected or appointed officials is worthy of the respect from those in uniform.  They do not embody the beliefs and honor of those in uniform.  Yet, they show massive disrespect by the manner in which the government treats them, including pay and benefits, and the ill performing VA.

May it be that not one more American serviceman dies for the corrupt politicians and appointed officials.