In case anyone tells you that you or your mom & dad were only "in the
military", and "didn't have a real job", or "didn't want to work for a
living", you can paraphrase Senator Glenn's comments below.
In fact, if you hear anyone
putting down folks in the military services you can explain to them what a
real job is.... You know, some people still don't understand why military
personnel do what they do for a living.
The below exchange between Senators
John Glenn and Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty
impressive impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one man's
explanation of why men and women in the Uniformed Services do what they do
for a living.
And, an example of what those who have never served think of
the Military.
Senator Metzenbaum to Senator Glenn:
"How can you run for
Senate when you've never held a real "job"?"
Senator Glenn:
"I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I
served through two wars.
I flew 149 missions.
My plane was hit by
anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occasions.
I was in the space program.
It wasn't my checkbook; it was my life on the line. It was not a 9 to 5
job where I took time off, to take the daily cash receipts to the bank.
I
ask you to go with me...as I went the other day... to a Veterans Hospital
and look at those men, with their mangled bodies, in the eye and tell
them they didn't hold a real job.
You go with me to the space program and
go as I have gone to the widows and orphans of Ed White and Gus Grissom
and Roger Chaffee and you look those kids in the eye and tell them that
their dad didn't hold a job.
You go with me on Memorial Day coming up, and
you stand in Arlington National Cemetery. Where I have more friends than
I'd like to remember and you watch those waving flags, and you stand
there, and you think about this nation, and you tell me that those people
didn't have a job.
I'll tell you, Howard Metzenbaum, you should be on
your knees every day of your life thanking God that there were some men
-SOME MEN - who held a real job. And they required a dedication to
purpose and a love of country and a dedication to duty that was more
important than life itself. And their self-sacrifice is what made this
country possible....
I HAVE HELD A REAL JOB, HOWARD! What about you?"
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