Linda, my daughter Sarah, and I just got back home from the Northern Illinois All-Academy Ball, an annual ball in honor of our military academy midshipmen and cadets.  The Air Force Academy Parents Club sponsored the event this year.  The Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy, Merchant Marine Academy, Naval Academy, and of course the US Military Academy were all represented by the Parents Clubs and many of the Midshipmen and Cadets who were home on Christmas leave.  After the Colors were presented Midshipmen or Cadets presented the colors of their respective academies, then a table was brought front and center and a representative of each academy set the table with a black napkin to represent those who died in service, a POW/MIA flag over the single chair, a candle, a Bible, an American flag, and  a bread plate with a slice of lemon to represent the bitterness of their sacrifice and a pinch of salt to represent the tears shed.  The Midshipmen and Cadets then saluted the place setting, removed their hats and gloves and placed them upside down around the table representing those from each academy that had paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Toasts were then offered first of all to the Colors, the President, the Missing in Action, and then to each of the respective Academies. First Classmen were recognized and then the parents of the Midshipmen and Cadets were recognized and applauded.  Dinner was served with music provided by the Midwest Air National Band.  After dinner a DJ played music for those who wanted to to dance and those of us who didn't had a chance to mingle and talk with parents and other attendees.  There were quite a few retired Military personnel in attendance as well. 

I was extremely moved by the ceremony, and in particular the place setting for the missing.  These kids know they are putting themselves on the line and that they may be the ones being remembered in a future place setting, but are willing to lay it on the line for our country.  None of them that I talked to, and I tried to get to as many as I could, have a glorified attitude about war or conquest, but rather a deep love of country and the conviction that it is still worth defending.  All I can say is that if these kids are representative of the rest of our military, and I believe they are, we are in good shape as long as we keep our government in check so that their sacrifice is not abused.

I'm very grateful for friends whose son will graduate from the Air Force Academy who invited me to participate in this event tonight.  I wish all Americans had the opportunity to see first hand what we have defending us.

To those of you who are from other parts of the world, I'm not belittling you in this post.  America has never in the past been interested in conquering the world and taking it over, and I pray it never does.  We have had a history of defending other freedom loving countries who have been attacked.  I hope we will be able to continue that tradition long after I'm gone from here.  I'm proud to be an American, just as I hope you are proud of your heritage and your country.

Jerry

Thanks for the account of your experience, Jerry. I've also found, while not universal, faith plays a large role among those who believe in the God given rights upon which our country is founded. Our forefathers were very clear no parliamentary edict could either grant or remove these rights; only support or interfere with them. For me, and I think many others, God and country are an inextricable combination. May God grant us peace, and may the Prince of Peace come soon. lance