The Daily Signal - #337: What Veterans Have Sacrificed

Episode Date: November 12, 2018

Veterans know what it means to sacrifice, and today, we honor them. John Cooper, an Air Force reserveman, joins us to discuss the importance of Veterans Day and how civilians can give back to our servicemen and women. He also shares about the veteran’s experience in the 21st century, when many Americans don’t know a single person in the military.We also bring you a classic speech by President Ronald Reagan to honor those who have served.The Daily Signal podcast is available on Ricochet, iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play, or Stitcher. All of our podcasts can be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts. If you like what you hear, please leave a review. You can also leave us a message at 202-608-6205 or write us at [e-mail]. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the Daily Signal podcast for Monday, November 12th. I'm Kate Trinko. And I'm Daniel Davis. Well, today is Veterans Day. And right now we're joined by a veteran, John Cooper, who works right across the hallway from me at the Heritage Foundation. He is senior communications manager here at Heritage, which means he works a lot with outside media and gets Heritage Foundation folks exposure. But today we're getting John exposure. John, welcome to the studio.

Yeah, thanks for having you. Is this your first time on the podcast? It is, actually. I feel like you did something at some point. No. I've sat next to you for so long. It's always behind the same. Incredibly fair.

Yeah. So John, you're an Air Force veteran. You're still in the reserve. And I know this because periodically you're gone from your office because you're on reserve duty. And it's a reminder that, you know, there are tons of folks who are still serving in that way. What does Veterans Day mean for you as a veteran? Yeah. So it's a great opportunity to really take.

the nation's mindset and just focus it for a single day on everybody that has served in the military. We often talk about Memorial Day and those who have paid the ultimate price for the country. But then on Veterans Day, we obviously get to talk about and our privilege to talk about an even broader group of people who have made that everyday sacrifice and continue to make that sacrifice every day. So it's a really great opportunity to do that and to have that focus in our country that is in some ways fairly unique to to the U.S. and the appreciation that we have for our troops. So it's a great, a great day and a really special opportunity, I think, for the country. So, John, now I have to say I never consider joining the military. I'm too much of a coward, but I'm always amazed by those in our generation

who did, knowing that Iraq and Afghanistan and, you know, heaven knows what else was potentially on the table. So why did you decide to join the Air Force? Yeah, it's actually a very personal story for me. Going back, I mean, all the way to the earliest days of high school for me. So there is a it's almost like the Boy Scouts. It's called the Civil Air Patrol. And it's, you know, the official fancy title is that they're the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, which basically means they help support and help train and do a lot of the kind of the junior ROTC kind of stuff for young people across America. And a lot of those people, a lot of those kids, a lot of those high schoolers and middle schoolers that do CAP often end up, you know, joining the Air Force or at least going to ROTC in college. So for me, that's what I did. I did Civil Air Patrol for my four years of high school and then joined ROTC in college, got my commission when I graduated and then joined the Air Force's active duty. So it was a very lifelong, you know, ultimately kind of a lifelong journey for me, joining the Air Force and serving in that way. So it's something that was always very familiar to me

and felt very comfortable doing and was really happy to be able to serve on active duty. And you're active duty for, what, six years? So I was active duty for four. and then active reserve for four. Active reserve. Okay. So being active reserve means you can be called up at any time if there's an emergency or something? Essentially, there's so much legalese and different statuses that reserve and guard troops are in. You know, my program was a little bit different than maybe your quote unquote weekend warrior type of program.

But essentially ended up serving about the same amount of time every year. But depending on, you know, who you're assigned to and what status you're in, We have a lot of Guard and Reserve folks who are currently serving overseas and can be called up to serve overseas. So it just kind of depends on what you're looking at. But, yeah, being a part of the service, you know, or part of the military, being a part of any service and wearing the uniform does mean that in some capacity at any point you could be called upon to make an even greater sacrifice than you're making in your current position. So I forget the exact numbers, but it has changed in recent decades. How many people have a family member or a close friend who served in the military used to be. that virtually everyone had someone in their immediate circle, and that's really not the case anymore.

How have you as a veteran felt? Have you encountered people who don't seem to understand anything about the military, or how has that been in, I guess, this more stratified society we live in? Yeah, it's a really great question. Honestly, it's one that we see, at least in my position, working with a lot of veterans here at Heritage and then working to put a lot of emphasis on what those veterans are doing to talk about our military and what we need to do to rebuild our military, you see a lot of people, whether it's, you know, in the media or in the halls of Congress or even across the nation that have a lot of assumptions about the military or a lot of preconceptions about the military. Some of them are right. Some of them are wrong. But in many cases, they're often

not necessarily informed by understanding, you know, personally what the military looks like or what it's like to be in the military. And that really is important because I think if you don't fully understand the impacts of the big decisions that are made at the government, the federal government level, if you don't understand the impacts of the defense budget on actual service members, for example, then it's going to be hard for you to build a policy that's actually informed and implement a policy that's actually informed by understanding what those impacts are. And I think that's something that you, like you point out, is steadily declining across the United States. You go back several decades, you know, World War II, especially when so many young people across the country were part of the

military, there was a much broader kind of six degrees of separation there where people knew each other from the military or people knew someone who had been in the military. And that is continuing to decrease as our nation gets bigger and as fewer people are serving in the military and as our military shrinks, quite frankly. So that's certainly going to be a major point going forward in terms of do we understand what our troops go through on a regular basis? I think a lot of civilians would like to do more for veterans. And I think there's some obvious things, you know, buying a beer or coffee for a veteran that you find, you know, that you just run into. Although, of course, we didn't provide John with either of those.

This is also recording so bad on us. We'll have to get you some coffee afterwards. But it's freed downstairs. Just FYI, after you listeners. It is. That's the thing. We just don't have the opportunity. We got to spot him a brisky sometime.

But, you know, I do think folks would like to serve veterans more. So what are some ways that veterans would appreciate that are more than just, you know, the offhand gesture? Yeah, I think there's any number of ways. And every veteran is different to you. I think that in a lot of ways, when people talk about veterans, they view every veteran the same. and they view the entire demographic as kind of monolithic and, oh, well, you're a veteran, so X, Y, and Z about you. And I don't think that's true, just like any other, you know, group of people in any type of profession. Would it be true?

So really, it's all about getting to know the veterans that are in your life, whether, I mean, you know, there could be someone in your family all the way up to someone that you pass by on the street who's in uniform. I mean, obviously, you have different levels of intimacy with those people. even down to the person that you've never seen before in your life, just thanking them for their service is a legitimate way to do that. And I think the people that actually go out of their way to do that, you know, as a veteran myself, it's kind of like when someone knows that I'm in the military or has seen me in uniform and they thank me for my service and I have no idea who they are.

Yeah, it's a little awkward for me because I'm like, well, you don't have that much to really thank me for. I mean, I'm just, you know, doing my job and everything. And, yeah, you kind of feel a little awkward. But at the same time, you appreciate that that person made the effort to do that, especially in our society today, whereby constantly looking at their phones and any spare moment they're listening to a podcast or, well, I guess I shouldn't say that.

Well, they should be listening to this one. This one, of course. And maybe they'll thank a veteran afterward. But it is a very, it's a meaningful thing. But I think also, too, things that people can do to show appreciation or just really educating themselves on what is important to veterans in their specific positions

and in their specific situations. understanding why the defense budget matters, for example. That's something that I as a veteran and many other veterans deeply care about. They care about the VA and they care about taking care of those who have come before, those who are currently serving and are going to need health care later on. So there are lots of different issue areas that I think it would be really meaningful to see an even broader national conversation about those topics and showing that we aren't going to take veterans as a demographic for granted.

And I think, you know, in the last several years, that's, that's, you know, we've seen some positive movement there, especially, you know, during the Trump administration talking about rebuilding the military, even, you know, going back to the Obama administration, when we had all these major scandals of the VA come to light, there's certainly a long way to go in fixing those scandals, fixing those problems that those scandals really highlighted. But having those conversations and not just taking them for granted and taking the, the veteran demographic, the veteran population for granted, I think is, is one major way to. really continue to build that trust in that relationship. Yeah, and I, John, I think you're selling yourself a little bit short. You know, I think when you thank veterans, you know, I think of some of the veterans I know, and of course some of them went overseas. You know, I think of a husband of a friend of mine. He was overseas when she had their first kid.

I mean, there's very real sacrifices. And I think we, you know, who aren't veterans are grateful. I mean, freedom is not free. But I know you're too modest, so I won't force you to say anymore. But I did want to ask. You mentioned, of course, you work in defense here at Heritage. You spoke about some of the things we could do to encourage our military, like pay attention to the defense budget. But Heritage, of course, recently released its index of military strength. What policies would really boost the military right now?

Yeah, well, right now, the U.S. military is unfortunately really in a state of decline. And it's kind of counterintuitive, right? Because for many decades, I mean, even for the 20th century, across the 20th century, US was considered the world's sole superpower, right? And that's largely because of our military. And we have this great national perception of our military that, oh, yeah, whenever we're called upon, our military is going to get it done and they're the best in the world. And that's true. That remains true. We do have the best troops. We have the best equipment. We have the best all around force that the world has ever seen. However, because we've seen years and years and

years of decline in terms of the resources that we're willing to commit to our military as a nation, that edge that we have, that gap that status as the world superpower is steadily being challenged and that gap is being closed primarily by China but also by Russia. And then you have rising powers like Iran and North Korea that in their own ways are challenging the United States regionally, but also looking to become more heavy hitters on the global stage. And so as that rise has happened across, you know, the horizon for our adversaries, the United States has become mired in spending money on all types of things. And really, defense budgeting has become at best just kind of another issue that legislators have to figure out. And it's become another partisan political tool that can be traded back and forth to make spending deals happen or other political deals happen.

And that's really unfortunate because at the end of the day, the U.S. government's primary responsibility is the defense of our country, the defense of our Constitution, the defense of our way of life. And the number one way you do that is through a strong military. President Reagan made it very clear, and I believe wholeheartedly in what he said, that you have peace through strength. That's how you maintain security around the world. It's how you maintain peace around the world is when you have a credible military deterrent to bad actors acting out on the world stage, right? So that really is where the conversation needs to start with, are we devoting enough resources to our military? Are we making sure that they are able to

not only, you know, fight tonight, quote unquote, you know, as many of our military leaders like to say when they testify before Congress, because in many cases, they can fight tonight. But if we get in a protracted conflict with North Korea or Russia or any other power, six months from now, that would be a problem because we wouldn't be able to sustain that conflict while also not opening ourselves up to problems in other areas of the world. So really devoting ourselves to fixing the readiness problem, fixing the emergencies, kind of stopping the bleeding, that's a major priority right now needs to continue to be one. And that takes money. But then also making sure that we're investing enough in our future and modernizing our military and making sure that we maintain

that technological edge and that capabilities edge over our enemies because they are doing everything in their power to close that gap with the United States. And that should scare every single one of because they're committed to it. The United States has not really shown that we are committed to it as a nation over the last 10 years or so, 10 or more years. So that's something that we really have to be focused on going forward. Well, and there's certainly some questions

and concern about what funding for the military will look like under the House and Senate next year. But, of course, President Trump and the Senate, we expect we'll keep pushing for higher funding, so we'll see if they can make a good deal. John, we appreciate your insight and of course we appreciate your service and thank you for joining us. Yeah, well, thanks for having me. It was great to join you.

And to all of our veteran listeners, we also appreciate your service. Thank you. I'm Rob Blewey, editor-in-chief of The Daily Signal. And I'm Jenny Malta Bono. Each weekday, the Daily Signal, delivers the Morning Bell email direct to your inbox. We created the Morning Bell to be your one-stop source for credible news reporting and insightful commentary on the issues that are shaping the agenda. You can subscribe today and get it delivered to your inbox. weekday morning. Sign up now at daily signal.com. Just click on the connect button at the top of the page and subscribe today. Next up, we're going to play a Veterans Day speech from President Reagan. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you all very much. Secretary Weinberger,

Harry Walters, Robert Maderos, Reverend clergy, ladies and gentlemen, a few moments ago I placed a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. And as I stepped back and stood during the moment of silence that followed, I said a small prayer. And it occurred to me that each of my predecessors has had a similar moment, and I wondered if our prayers weren't very much the same, if not identical. We celebrate Veterans Day on the anniversary of the armistice that ended world. War I, the armistice that began on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. And I wonder, in fact, if all Americans' prayers aren't the same as those I mentioned a moment ago. The timing of this holiday is quite deliberate in terms of historical fact. But somehow it always seems

quite fitting to me that this day comes deep in autumn when the colors are muted and the days seem to invite contemplation. We are gathered at the National Cemetery, which provides a final resting place for the heroes who have defended our country since the Civil War. This amphitheater, this place for speeches is more central to the cemetery than at first might seem apparent. For all we can ever do for our heroes is remember them and remember what they did, and memories are transmitted through words. Sometime back I received in the name of our country the bodies of four Marines

who had died while on active duty. I said then that there is a special sadness that accompanies the death of a serviceman, for we're never quite good enough to them. Not really, we can't be, because what they gave us is beyond our powers to repay. And so when a serviceman dies, it's a tear in the fabric, a break in the hole, and all we can do is remember. It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our

country, in defense of us, in wars far away. The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them as something. like the founding fathers, grave and gray-haired. But most of them were boys when they died, and they gave up two lives, the one they were living, and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for our country, for us. And all we can do

is remember. There's always someone who is remembering for us. No matter what time of year it is or what time of day, there are always people who come to this cemetery leave a flag or a flower or a little rock on a headstone.

And they stop and bow their heads and communicate what they wished to communicate. They say hello, Johnny, Lord. Hello, Bob. We still think of you. You're still with us. We never got over you. And we pray for you still, and we'll see you again. We'll all meet again. In a way, they represent us, these relatives and friends, and they speak for us as they walk among the headstones and remember. It's not so hard to summon memory, but it's hard to recapture meaning. living have a responsibility to remember the conditions that led to the wars in which our heroes died. Perhaps we can start by remembering this, that all of those who died for us and our country were in one way or another victims of a peace process that failed, victims of a decision to forget certain things, to forget, for instance, that the surest way to keep a peace going,

is to stay strong. Weakness after all is a temptation. It tempts the pugnacious to assert themselves. But strength is a declaration that cannot be misunderstood. Strength is a condition that declares actions have consequences. Strength is a prudent warning to the belligerent that aggression need not go unanswered. Peace fails when we forget what we stand for.

It fails when we forget that our republic is based on firm principles. principles that have real meaning, that with them, we are the last best hope of man on earth. Without them, we are a little more than the crust of a continent. Peace also fails when we forget to bring to the bargaining table God's first intellectual gift to man. Common sense. Common sense gives us a realistic knowledge of human beings and how they think, how they live in the world, what motivates them. Common sense tells us that man has magic in him, but also clay. Common sense can tell the difference between right and wrong.

Common sense forgives error, but it always recognizes it to be error first. We endanger the peace and confuse all issues when we obscure the truth, when we refuse to name an act for what it is, when we refuse to see the obvious and seek safety in Almighty. Peace is only maintained and won by those who have clear eyes and brave minds. Peace is imperiled when we forget to try for agreements and settlements and treaties, when we forget to hold out our hands and strive, when we forget that God gave us talents to use in securing the ends he desires.

Peace fails when we forget that agreements once made cannot be broken without a price. each new day carries within it the potential for breakthroughs for progress. Each new day bursts with possibilities. And so hope is realistic and despair a pointless little sin. And peace fails when we forget to pray to the source of all peace and life and happiness. I think sometimes of General Matthew Ridgeway, who the night before D-Day tossed sleepless on his cot, and talk to the Lord and listened for the promise that God made to Joshua, I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.

We are surrounded today by the dead of our wars. We owe them a debt we can never repay. All we can do is remember them and what they did and why they had to be brave for us. All we can do is try to see that other young men never have to join them. them. Today is never before, we must pledge to remember the things that will continue the peace. Today as never before, we must pray for God's help in broadening and deepening the peace we enjoy. Let us pray for freedom and justice in a more stable world. And let us make a compact today

with the dead. A promise in the words for which General Ridgeway listened, I will not fail thee nor forsake thee. In memory of those who gave the last full measure of devotion, may our efforts to achieve lasting peace gain strength. And through whatever coincidence or accident of timing, I tell you that a week from now, when I am some thousands of miles away, believe me, the memory and the importance of this day will be in the forefront of my mind and in my heart. Thank you. God bless you all. And God bless you all. And God bless America. Well, we'll leave it there for today. Thanks so much for listening to the Daily Signal podcast, brought to you from the Robert H. Bruce Radio Studio at the Heritage Foundation. Please

be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, or SoundCloud, and please leave us a review or rating on iTunes to give us any feedback. Rob and Kelsey will be joining you tomorrow. You've been listening to the Daily Signal podcast, executive produced by Kate Trinko and Daniel Davis, sound design by Michael Gooden, Lauren Evans, and Thalia Rampersad. For more information, visit DailySignal.com. com.