MESSAGE TO AMERICA FROM A U.S.
VETERAN, NOW A REALTOR MEMBER OF WEST MICHIGAN LAKESHORE ASSOCIATION
OF REALTORS.
(This message has been submitted by a member of our
Association and does not necessarily represent the views and opinions
of all members, the staff or the leadership team of the Association.)
A Father's Point of View
Hi there. My name is Alan Helvig. I am a Realtor in
Holland, MI. I am also a former Marine Corps Officer who has a son deployed
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His name is Guillermo Garcia.
He is a Sergeant of Marines supporting the 1st Marine Expeditionary
Force from Camp Pendleton, CA. He loves what he does and he loves the
Corps. His mother and I are very proud of him and we pray for him daily.
We are completely at peace, knowing that he is always in God's hands.
I was already in the Corps when I met my wife. Guillermo
was only 6 years old at the time. I am the only father he knows. During
my 16 year career with the Corps, I deployed a lot, visiting 20 different
countries and serving in four extended tours overseas. I was stationed
in Okinawa for a year, the former Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia, Bosnia
& Croatia) for 5 months, Aviano Italy for 6 months and Incirlik
Turkey for 6 months. My family is very familiar with the trials of extended
separation. As a family, we fully support the President and our troops
who are deployed anywhere overseas.
Although I appreciate the right of all Americans to
voice their opinion, I also feel like I am living in the society of
Henny Penny. How many Americans who are protesting the war in Iraq did
not vote in the last election? How many of them have never served their
country? How many of them have never contributed anything to the political
process in this country? It amazes me that many of the people barking
the loudest about their "right" to exercise their freedom
of speech are the ones who have done the least in their lives to earn
that "right".
As a Marine, we would have staff meetings with our
Commander. We would discuss options and strategies regarding upcoming
situations. We may have had doubts and disputes as to just when and
how things should be done. However, once the Commander made the call,
it was final and we all stood behind him and carried out his orders.
It is my opinion that America should take the same approach to matters
of national interest. We elected our officials and should trust them
to do the right things at the right time. As Americans, we are allowed
to voice our opinions. But once a decision is final, we should get behind
our leadership and support the cause. If we can't or don't support the
cause, there are a number of ways to let our opinions be known without
making a public spectacle, which can be seen not only here at home,
but by all of our enemies abroad.
These protesters seem to believe that they can protest
the war and criticize our President while supporting the troops. I do
not believe it is possible to do both simultaneously. As a former Marine,
I can honestly tell you that every time we saw someone protesting the
actions we were involved in or about to be involved in, we felt that
it was directed at us as well as the politicians. We chose to serve
our country by putting on a uniform and going to do battle at the command
of our President. We chose to defend the "rights" of the clueless
as well as those who fully support and appreciate our mission in life.
We chose to fight for freedom and the American way. We all took a pledge
to support and defend the constitution of the United States of America
against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Every person in this country
who is publicly protesting the war and our President is protesting against
our brave men and women in uniform. I didn't feel like they were supporting
me while I was in the Corps, and I don't see what they're doing now
as supporting my son as he strives to make the world a more peaceful
place for all people.
Contrary to the belief of many, war can be very necessary.
The situation in Iraq has been festering for over 12 years. Diplomacy
has failed to resolve the problems in that region, which affect the
entire world. The current regime in Iraq is not unlike Hitler's regime.
Imagine what would have happened if someone would have stopped Hitler
when he first invaded Poland. What would have happened if we could have
prevented him from invading Europe and Africa. How many lives could
have been saved? What if we could have prevented the Holocaust? This
is the same type of situation we have today! We have to stop this regime
from doing any more damage than they have already done. Saddam's own
neighbors knew what would happen to them if we didn't stop him in 1991.
That is why they let us do what we did the first time. This maniac is
another Hitler and must be stopped... now! We shouldn't be too quick
to judge our leadership today. We should let history be our judge. I
truly believe that in the years to come, we will see that the price
of war today was well worth the end result.
As for the friends and family of those deployed to
the Middle East, I would like to offer some advise. I suggest plenty
of rest and relaxation, combined with a lot of faith and prayer. Your
loved ones are in a hostile environment, doing a very tough job. The
last thing they need in their lives right now is to know that someone
back home is having serious problems or stressing out because of the
current situation. It is best for them to know that no matter what happens,
you are proud of them and support them 100% in their mission. Don't
distract your loved one with a bunch of needless worry and stress. Distractions
from home could get them killed! Let him or her know that everything
at home is going great and that you love and support them fully. Your
faith and support will strengthen them more than you will ever know.
Alan HelvigCurrent Chairperson of the WMLAR Government
Affairs/RPAC fund raising committee
REALTOR, CRS, ABR
www.bigalproperties.com
