The Airman's Creed

The Airman's Creed - United States Air Force

I AM AN AMERICAN AIRMAN.
I AM A WARRIOR.
I HAVE ANSWERED MY NATION'S CALL.

I AM AN AMERICAN AIRMAN.
MY MISSION IS TO FLY, FIGHT, AND WIN.
I AM FAITHFUL TO A PROUD HERITAGE,
A TRADITION OF HONOR,
AND A LEGACY OF VALOR.

I AM AN AMERICAN AIRMAN,
GUARDIAN OF FREEDOM AND JUSTICE,
MY NATION'S SWORD AND SHIELD,
ITS SENTRY AND AVENGER.
I DEFEND MY COUNTRY WITH MY LIFE.

I AM AN AMERICAN AIRMAN:
WINGMAN, LEADER, WARRIOR.
I WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AIRMAN BEHIND,
I WILL NEVER FALTER,
AND I WILL NOT FAIL.

I have great appreciation for our men and women in all branches of our armed forces. I spend a great deal of time around those men and women and have all my life. I know that they have taken a lot of hits in the recent years due to the former administration's policies in Iraq. Although the anti-military/establishment sentiment isn't as high as it was in the era of Vietnam, it is still something our service men/women face every day. I am proud of the fact that my children have an appreciation for the cost of those who serve to protect our freedom. They thank every one they see in uniform. If you go to a military base and try to do anything - fill a prescription, renew an ID card, those active duty in uniform get bumped to the head of the line. While I agree that they have earned this respect, I am a firm believer of showing respect to those who come before you. The veterans, often elderly, are forced to wait in long lines very often to accommodate the younger more fit soldiers. Our veterans and their dependents are not getting the deal they agreed to and fought for on foreign soil. Just because they are no longer active duty doesn't mean their time isn't valuable and shouldn't be appreciated. Their dependents may not have served on foreign soil but, served day in and day out maintaining the family while their loved one is overseas. Far too often, we show no respect to those that blazed the path before us and I for one am tired of seeing this happen to our vets. It is time to do something about this - I would think that the men and women serving in our armed forces today would want to change this as well...since they are the veterans of tomorrow.

Having said all that - please remember to thank our men and women in uniform every time you see them.

xoxo

Pandora - future mom to an Air Force Academy Graduate....or so she keeps telling me