Honoring our Wounded Warriors on Independence Day
Statement
Each July 4th, we celebrate the birth of our great nation, the independence for which our founding patriots fought and died. We honor their sacrifice and know that without them, we would not enjoy the freedom and liberty we have today.
But those gifts bestowed by our founders do not exist in absolute security. In the years since July 4th, 1776, generations of brave men and women have fought to preserve our democracy. Each Independence Day, we remember those early patriots and the 56 delegates from the 13 original colonies who signed that historical document. I also think of the members of our nation's military who have kept that dream alive for all Americans.
We often toss around words like "hero". Perhaps it's because we have far too few of them. Or maybe we've forgotten what it means. We lionize sports stars or celebrities, many of whom are talented and worthy of praise. But they're not heroic.
General Norman Schwarzkopf, who led our forces in Operation Desert Storm, once said, "It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle." To me, the brave men and women who fight to protect our freedom are, indeed, the heroes.
It's also important to recognize the sacrifice made by the families they leave behind. These families wait and hope for husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, daughters and sons. It takes courage to watch a loved one go off to war. There is pride that they go in defense of our nation; but that does not diminish the worry or fear.
I recently visited the Warrior and Family Support Center (WFSC) in San Antonio, where I was honored to meet some of our courageous veterans. The WFSC serves wounded veterans and their families and is located by Brooke Army Medical Center, one of the world's best trauma centers. The patients treated there have sustained devastating injuries, and most will remain in the hospital for months; some will be there over a year.
This, of course, is difficult for both the soldiers and their families. Recuperation requires healing from more than just physical wounds. The WFSC is a place where patients can keep company with their military family and people on the same long road to recovery. It is a place where they can rehabilitate as individuals, couples or families - whatever they need. It is a place that knows that the casualties of war are not always counted in bones and limbs. It is a place that heals the whole soldier.
The WFSC creates a home away from home. There is a big, open kitchen, where volunteers prepare home-cooked meals. There is a classroom where soldiers can take lessons, such as computer training or courses to earn degree credits as they acquire the skills they need to re-enter the workforce. There is a big living area, where families and patients can mix and mingle, and a private counseling room. There are huge, open front and back porch areas. And there is a play area outdoors, a butterfly garden and a game room where children can spend a few hours just being themselves. In the midst of the trauma a child experiences when a parent has suffered horrific injuries, WFSC is a place where a kid can just be a kid.
The WFSC is a showcase of the genuine community spirit we have in Texas. It depends completely on private donations, yet the Center has continued to expand, even in a time of economic uncertainty. There are a few paid staff, but 143 volunteers keep it open 13 hours every day.
I was just amazed by the Warrior and Family Support Center and their volunteers. Among the contributions made by Texans: steaks for cookouts, trays of homemade cookies, wedding dresses and a wedding cake for every wounded soldier who gets married there, and groceries to stock the snack bar.
On this July 4th, between the barbecues and the fireworks, I hope all Americans have honored America's founders, the brilliance and bravery that created this great country, the men and women who fight to preserve its freedoms and the military families that support them.
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