Appreciating Military

All of us have many reasons to admire men and women who serve in the military. They put themselves in harm's way to preserve and protect our nation's way of life as well as to help ensure our personal safety. Granted, while the individuals who serve in the military may have as many personal flaws and issues as the rest of us, their choice to stand between us and enemies of the United States who have violent intent is as admirable and selfless as any other action I can name. I add my name to the long list of others who attach the label "heroic" to our nation's soldiers, current and former.

As one who has taken a number of classes through the years and who currently teaches several communication classes, I have interacted with military personnel in the classroom setting on many occasions. Without exception, I have found them to be personable, good-humored, and hard-working. I even viewed them as "one of us." I say this for the simple reason they are like any civilian in that they, too, are normal people with families who contend with the regular highs and lows of everyday life. But on the other hand, they are different because many of them have served on foreign land as well as engaged in ugly and violent combat. Because of that reality, their level of experience is on a plane different from the many of us who have not traveled that path.

Yet in the classroom setting, we all sit together engaged in the subject at-hand, raising our hand to answer questions or make comments, carrying out assignments, and taking tests. My point, from a communication perspective, is this significant difference can make the reality of interaction between military and civilian inside and outside the classroom much stronger and more enlightening if acknowledged and embraced. Military men and women have perspectives and experiences that can add much to the wisdom the rest of us try to bring to life. As every-day communicators, we need to continue appreciating their day-to-day service out of uniform, too.