This past Wednesday, November 11th, marked another Veterans Day holiday. Originally called "Armistice Day," the holiday was first proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson on November 11, 1919 to remember the formal cessation of the "Great War" (later to become known as World War I) the following year. In 1954, Congress changed "Armistice Day" to "Veterans Day," making it a federal holiday honoring all veterans of the United States armed forces.
Two events took place this past week that seemed to add more sobriety to this year's Veterans Day: the shooting at Fort Hood, Texas on November 5th, and the execution of the "D.C. Sniper," John Allen Muhammed on the 10th.
Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a psychiatrist in the United States Army, is allegedly responsible for the shooting that claimed the lives of 13 people, and injured 30 others at the Soldiers Readiness Center at Fort Hood. Hasan, a Muslim, was shot, and at least temporarily paralyzed, but in stable condition at the time of this writing. So far, his motives are only speculated upon, but there appears to be some indication that Hasan's religious views could have played a part in the rampage.
Over a three-week span of time in October of 2002, John Allen Muhammed, and his 17-year old companion, Lee Malvo, shot fifteen people in the Washington, D.C. suburbs of Maryland and Virgina, killing ten. Muhammed and Malvo were connected to seven other murders in Alabama, Louisiana, Arizona, California, and Washington state the month before. Malvo would be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Muhammed was convicted by the state of Virginia for the murder of one of the victims and executed by lethal injection at 9:11 PM on November 10, 2009. He had been a sergeant in the United States Army and served during the Gulf War in the early 1990's. While no clear cut motive had been given by Muhammed, Malvo testified at his trial that the shootings were motivated by Muhammed's plan to extort money from the United States government, and use it to "set up a camp to train children to terrorize cities."
As a side note, the Beltway Sniper Attacks are very personal for me because the church I was serving at the time, Montrose Baptist Church in Rockville, Maryland, was in the epicenter of the first two days and last day of the shootings. One of the shootings took place at a gas station that I frequented, and was at the night before the final shooting, which occurred one block away. The attacks created a tremendous amount of fear for the region. Outdoor sports events were canceled, people sat in their cars while getting gas, and some even used vacation time or sick leave to get out of town while the matter was resolved. The school associated with our church, Montrose Christian, would not allow children to go outside for recess and changed the procedures for how parents could drop-off and pick-up their children for school. It is a testimony to the fear that a couple of individuals can inflict upon millions of people.
Major Hasan and John Muhammed were both veterans of the United States Army. Their service records had given no previous indication that they were capable of such attrocities, and some have wondered if the stresses of the military and combat are what contributed to their violent actions. Whatever the causes for their actions, it is reminder that not all who wear the uniform and benefit from the training of our nation's armed forces do so honorably and act responsibly.
Honor comes from what one does, not from the uniform worn or the position attained. History has shown that there have been people who have served in our armed services, that were not honorable people. The same can be said of every service profession that people admire such as educators, police officers, and ministers.
The shootings at Fort Hood, Texas and the execution of John Allen Muhammed, both within a week of Veterans Day, were ironic events that could have easily distracted us from honoring those men and women deserving of honor. However, it appeared to me that this year's Veterans Day was much more meaningful for people. If so, maybe it was due to a growing appreciation of our military because of the ongoing efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, or that most of us know at least one person who have served in those two countries recently. Perhaps it was because of the stories of two veterans who behaved dishonorably and we wanted to take the focus away from them. Whatever it was, I believe Americans wanted to express their appreciation to our veterans this Veterans Day more than they have in a while.
As Army veterans, Nidal Malik Hassan and John Allen Muhammed may have brought shame upon themselves, but not on others who have served and lived their lives honorably. Hassan's and Muhammed's stories, and the ironic timing of their actions and demise, do not taint the bravery and commitment of the majority of men and women who wear the uniforms of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. In fact, it probably heightens our sense of appreciation more.
Veterans and current members of the United States armed forces, God bless you! Thank you for your service and sacrifice to our country. May your actions prove to be beneficial, not only for the United States, but in all the countries you serve.
