Big Red Car here.  Rainy and gloomy and an altogether typical late May day.  The ATX gets a lot of its rain during the end of May and then we settle in for the long, hot, dry journey through June to August and finally to September and the start of Longhorn football.  Go Horns!

On the eave of Memorial Day, when America celebrates the sacrifice of its war dead who have given the last measure of devotion so that we may live in liberty with freedom, we think about those who have served in the military and who fought America’s wars.

The Brotherhood of Arms — soldiering

When you don the Nation’s uniform and raise your right hand and swear to fight all of America’s foes, you enter into a brotherhood of arms which was started by George Washington when he formed the Continental Army subject to a resolution of the Continental Congress issued on 14 June 1775.  You do the math, sayeth the Big Red Car.  That was a long time ago.

General Washington, our first Commander in Chief, raised an army which defeated the most powerful army on the planet in open conflict.  It is a proud tradition of service and sacrifice and victory.  It is a defining characteristic of America and its people.  We fight and win for our freedom and liberty.

The family business

The Boss and his people are part of that long line of service.  The Boss was a professional soldier and soldiering was the family business.  The Boss’s Mother and Father were both soldiers — the Old Man having made it his career.

Soldiering is a noble undertaking and at its core is all about taking care of soldiers — our citizens — when they sally forth to destroy those who would kill us and wrest our hard won freedom and liberty from us.

The Boss is well known to have said time and again — everything he ever needed to know to be successful in life or to run a business he learned as a platoon leader in the combat engineers.  Everything he ever needed to know to successfully run a company, he learned as a company commander.

It all comes down to a simple creed — take care of your men.  That simple guiding principle is at the core of the promise that is made within an army between its leaders and soldiers.

The promise

Part of that promise is that when America sends you forth to fight her wars and you find yourself in a tight situation, you can rest assured that those who sent you forth will be there to assist when you are hard pressed.

America will send the cavalry to help you.  And the cavalry will save your ass when the fighting gets close.  That is the promise.

You, American patriot, go forth to defend the Nation and the Nation will turn Heaven and Earth to come to your rescue when the feathers hit the fan.

This basic promise — “leaning forward in your saddle” in cavalry terms — is the glue that binds our military together.

We are all in this together and we will see it through to victory together.

We will send the cavalry to your rescue.  Now go do your job and know we have your back.

Benghazi — broken promise

So, you can imagine the outrage and frustration that our failure to come to the military rescue of our brave men in Benghazi has caused amongst those practitioners of the promise.  The Boss is aghast.

“We left our men to fight and die without even a minimal attempt to send in the cavalry.”

This is not how it is supposed to be.

Weasel words

Instead, what we got — more importantly, what those brave men in Benghazi got — was a broken promise drawn with weasel words.  Words which sound like fingernails on a chalk board to those who have worn our Nation’s uniform.  Guys like The Boss and the Old Man.

Our Secretary of Defense said that the situation on the ground was “unknown” and therefor we could not commit troops to an unknown situation.

Really?

We had former Special Forces troopers with guns in hand killing what has turned out to be almost a hundred shitheads with small arms fire.  Hell, they KNEW the situation.  Who would you have sent to suss out the situation?  Well, other than a couple of seasoned Special Forces troopers?

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff echoed the same sentiment.

Weasel words.  They should have kept the promise and sent in the cavalry.  Whatever they could, when it was so desperately needed.  Keep the promise.

From their graves, America’s war dead echo the same refrain:  “When you send us to war, keep the promise.  Send the cavalry to rescue us when we fight and die for America.  Keep the promise.”

When you greet folks this weekend, know that there are literally millions of Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice to provide the opportunity for you and yours to live in peace, to breathe in freedom, to enjoy the fruits of liberty.  Do not wish anyone a “happy” Memorial Day, it is not a happy occasion.  It is a solemn day.  Offer up a prayer of thanks.

God bless America and thank you to those who have made our great Nation possible.  A grateful Nation mourns your loss and celebrates your sacrifice.  Thank you!

But, hey, what the Hell do I know anyway?  I’m just a Big Red Car — an all American Big Red Car.