Why Memorial Day Matters

Memorial Day and Veterans Day are very important to me. While I never had the calling (or perhaps the courage) to enlist in our armed forces, my father served in World War II. He survived both Iwo Jima and Okinawa and was preparing for the invasion of Japan when the war ended. But his experiences in the Navy changed him in fundamental ways and affected him for the rest of his life. I’ve posted about my father and the importance of our military heroes before – you can read those posts here and here.

In any event, I inherited his love for history and for honoring those who have sacrificed for our country. Perhaps the best way for me to illustrate that is with an excerpt from my upcoming book, The Wilkes Insurrection,  a contemporary thriller which will be published in October. The protagonist, Tamika Smith, is a Major in the Air Force reserves whose regular job is working for a US Senator. She is a Combat Search and Rescue specialist who did tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the beginning of the story, she rescues a number of passengers from a civilian plane crash at Offutt Air Force. The excerpt below is from her subsequent testimony to Congress.

Tamika and her experiences represent in a deep way the reasons we should always honor those who served and sacrificed by celebrating Memorial Day.

An Excerpt from The Wilkes Insurrection

By Robbie Bach

The Washington, DC setting was totally familiar, but now Tamika was on the other side of the table. The morning meeting was held in Room 418 of the Russell Senate Office Building, complete with the big rostrum for the senators and the pathetic wooden tables for those testifying. By design, witnesses had to look up at the legislators, creating an intimidating environment. Stone walls, casement windows, and a small gallery behind the tables for viewers and the press completed the scene. At the back, cameras were rolling during the hearing, reflecting Tamika’s heightened public profile.

She was appearing before the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. The topic of the day was whether the US government was providing for the care and well-being of men and women who had served the country in active war zones. Senator Regan had arranged for Tamika to testify, knowing that the hearings would play well in her home state of Washington, which had many military installations. The fact that the “hero of Flight 209” was on stage—with clips to air on news services across the country—wouldn’t hurt Tamika’s reputation either. After a series of pointed questions to one of Tamika’s counterparts on the panel, it was her turn to testify.

The ranking member on the committee opened the discussion. “Major Smith, this is going to sound like pleasantry, but it’s a serious question. Exactly how are you doing?”

Tamika paused, knowing that she was there at the request of the Air Force and conscious of her family’s proud history in the military.

“Senator, my family has served this country for several generations. My grandfather and my father were both Air Force combat pilots. I served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and my brother died while serving for the Navy. We’re honored to be part of the military, and my father and I both know the military cares about our well-being. I was exceptionally well-educated at the Academy, received good medical care when I needed it, and got my law degree while in the reserves. I’ll never forget any of that.”

“But you decided to leave the reserves early. Why?”

Tamika wasn’t prepared to talk about her new career ambitions just yet. Still, her motivations were never far from the surface. “I’ll never forget the support I received—and I’m proud of my service. But our efforts haven’t kept the terrorists from coming to our shores. And they’re spreading hatred, fear, and division across our country. To me, that’s the greatest danger. That’s what we must stop. That’s where I’ll focus my energies.”

“I fully agree with you about what threatens this great nation, Major. But in your tone, I sense there’s more to the story. Tell me about that. We’re here today to assess our veterans’ needs. Tell me about the effect military service has had on your life.”

Tamika shifted her gaze to meet the questioner head on. “The bottom line, Senator, is I never got to say goodbye to my brother. I will never be able to talk to him again. I will never be a bridesmaid in his wedding, or an aunt to his children. My father can’t do the things he always promised his son he would do when he was on-station in some godforsaken place. I still wake up at night in a cold sweat having relived one or another of my missions. I see the faces of some of the people I saved. But mostly I see the faces of those I lost. That never leaves you, and I don’t know what anyone can do about that.”