The Meaning of Courage, a Navy Seal Tribute
The Meaning of Courage, A Tribute and Memorial
It was Sir Winston Churchill that said, "Of all virtues, courage is the greatest, because without courage there are no other virtues." The committed courage of our fallen SF (Special Forces) warriors leads each and every one of us to examine our lives, to examine our American leadership. The mottos of special forces, particularly the Navy Seals that speak of leading, following, never quitting, always on time, always on target and so-forth are great lessons to us all in the general public, if we will stop to learn. Their courage to examine a mission that all too often has been deemed "impossible" by others and simply say, "send me" speaks volumes about our own lives. As a nation in desperate times, we could learn more than a few lessons on courage from our Special Forces community and from these men whose lives we mourn today. Churchill was correct, without courage; surely we do lack so many other virtues.
It was courage that founded this nation. It was the courage of belief by a young Thomas Jefferson to pen the words that enflame our hearts to this day that we "are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights." And it was resilient courage that brought Lincoln to the point of despair over a divided nation. Standing at Gettysburg his courageous words "a government of, by, and for the people" still pushes the light of freedom forward to this day. It was the hopeful courage of emigrants sailing the vast seas, landing in a new America and building Her with their own bare hands. It was courage of resolve that brought us face to face with a Nazi Tyrant and left him, defeated. And it was the courage of leadership that spoke deep into the hearts of those enslaved by Communist Soviet Union, which truly did leave Communism "on the ash heap of history."
And here we are today, a nation of people waiting and wanting for the same courageous leadership of our past. And while we are so often let down by the current elected, it is the volunteers of the United States Navy Seals that remind us of our brave history fueling our resilience, giving us hope, strengthening our resolve, that courageous leadership exists, that there are still "a few good men" waiting to "stand in the gap." For today, this is why we admire these, the fallen and their brotherhood with such admiration. No, it is not the Hollywood interpretation of their training that dawns our heart to salute. Today, we stand at attention for them, because so many nights while we were comfortably asleep in our beds, they were standing at attention for us.
And make no mistake about it, this courage that the United States Navy Seals hold is not skin deep or built through rigorous training. This sort of "stand in the gap" courage is that of a moral fabric. This form of courage that moves these, "the best of the best" is the same virtue of which Churchill spoke. And it is the same virtue-based courage found in the Scripture passage when a young prophet answered the call saying:
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!'
These are the men of the United States Navy Seals. May God bless the families of the fallen, those still bearing the Trident, and the sacrifice of both. May God grant us leadership in our nation that understands such raw courage. And May God bless the country that these Seals so deeply love and serve. And finally, as my young daughter and I so often pray, "may God protect the United States Navy Seals and all our Soldiers, as they protect us."
Amen.
Jeremy Dunlap (Jer) is national speaker, writer, and trainer. Working with clients across the country, Jeremy Dunlap (Jer) holds no higher honor than his work with the United States Military and Special Forces Community, both which he dearly loves.
It was Sir Winston Churchill that said, "Of all virtues, courage is the greatest, because without courage there are no other virtues." The committed courage of our fallen SF (Special Forces) warriors leads each and every one of us to examine our lives, to examine our American leadership. The mottos of special forces, particularly the Navy Seals that speak of leading, following, never quitting, always on time, always on target and so-forth are great lessons to us all in the general public, if we will stop to learn. Their courage to examine a mission that all too often has been deemed "impossible" by others and simply say, "send me" speaks volumes about our own lives. As a nation in desperate times, we could learn more than a few lessons on courage from our Special Forces community and from these men whose lives we mourn today. Churchill was correct, without courage; surely we do lack so many other virtues.
It was courage that founded this nation. It was the courage of belief by a young Thomas Jefferson to pen the words that enflame our hearts to this day that we "are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights." And it was resilient courage that brought Lincoln to the point of despair over a divided nation. Standing at Gettysburg his courageous words "a government of, by, and for the people" still pushes the light of freedom forward to this day. It was the hopeful courage of emigrants sailing the vast seas, landing in a new America and building Her with their own bare hands. It was courage of resolve that brought us face to face with a Nazi Tyrant and left him, defeated. And it was the courage of leadership that spoke deep into the hearts of those enslaved by Communist Soviet Union, which truly did leave Communism "on the ash heap of history."
And here we are today, a nation of people waiting and wanting for the same courageous leadership of our past. And while we are so often let down by the current elected, it is the volunteers of the United States Navy Seals that remind us of our brave history fueling our resilience, giving us hope, strengthening our resolve, that courageous leadership exists, that there are still "a few good men" waiting to "stand in the gap." For today, this is why we admire these, the fallen and their brotherhood with such admiration. No, it is not the Hollywood interpretation of their training that dawns our heart to salute. Today, we stand at attention for them, because so many nights while we were comfortably asleep in our beds, they were standing at attention for us.
And make no mistake about it, this courage that the United States Navy Seals hold is not skin deep or built through rigorous training. This sort of "stand in the gap" courage is that of a moral fabric. This form of courage that moves these, "the best of the best" is the same virtue of which Churchill spoke. And it is the same virtue-based courage found in the Scripture passage when a young prophet answered the call saying:
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!'
These are the men of the United States Navy Seals. May God bless the families of the fallen, those still bearing the Trident, and the sacrifice of both. May God grant us leadership in our nation that understands such raw courage. And May God bless the country that these Seals so deeply love and serve. And finally, as my young daughter and I so often pray, "may God protect the United States Navy Seals and all our Soldiers, as they protect us."
Amen.
Jeremy Dunlap (Jer) is national speaker, writer, and trainer. Working with clients across the country, Jeremy Dunlap (Jer) holds no higher honor than his work with the United States Military and Special Forces Community, both which he dearly loves.
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