In a Veterans Day speech during a church breakfast last weekend, the Rev. Dr. James Hunt spoke about heroes and his experiences as a Naval officer.
Now pastor of New Hope Community Christian Church in Monee, Hunt said, “It is indeed an honor and a privilege to speak on behalf of my brother and sister Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard comrades-in-arms, because I genuinely believe you could have picked someone more deserving, but I am grateful for the opportunity,” he said.
“It was at the end of World War I, when an armistice, or temporary end of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. For that reason, November 11 is the day we celebrate Veterans Day – a time to celebrate and honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
“Congressman and veteran Charles Rangel, who was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, said, ‘Honoring the sacrifices many have made for our country in the name of freedom and democracy is the very foundation of Veterans Day.’
“And as a fellow veteran,” Hunt said, “I want to declare this day a Hero Veterans Day.
“What is a hero?
“One definition of a hero is ‘a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. And that is a good definition. Tennis legend Arthur Ashe, himself a hero, said, ‘True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.’
“And so, here we are today to honor the heroes among us, those veterans who gave all to serve our country, who served honorably, who served bravely, who served steadfastly, who served well. And because of their service, we celebrate with these everyday heroes who serve and serve us every day without fail, without complaint, and without reservation for the sake of freedom.
“They are our heroes.
“Even more, they are hidden heroes, the ones most of us do not recognize because real heroes do not announce themselves. Real heroes do not seek the spotlight. Real heroes do not seek attention. Some who have not served in the military criticize them as instruments of war, but I would rather acclaim them as the purveyors of peace, keepers of the flame, and protectors of the people, keepers of freedom. They are the unsung heroes who lift heavy burdens but often do not get the credit for the tremendous load placed on their shoulders – to serve and lift up the interest of our country. They are the neighbors who always ask about us and never tell us about themselves. They are all around us. Men and women who live quiet lives. They do not have to brag or claim to be heroes and, in my mind, that is what makes them heroes.
“So what is it like to be a hero? In real life, no veteran thinks of themselves as a hero. Because in many ways, they are just like most of us. They are sons and daughters, they are mothers and fathers, they are church members and club members. But they are and were part of something that was greater than the sum of its parts. They took considerable time to learn to navigate the seas, how to fly aircraft unlike any they had known. They spent considerable time practicing maneuvers for hours. They learned how to parachute out of planes and disembark ships. They patrolled our shores, and they did all these with dedication and skill, all to be ready for that dramatic and sometimes forbidding call to arms. And then, as they have done repeatedly, they answer the call to defend our nation.
“They are everyday heroes who sometimes do not have enough money to pay the bills. They are heroes who were expected to regularly uproot the family to another duty station or respond to an emerging threat in a moment’s notice. They are heroes who had to get used to new assignments, unfamiliar places, and new people, all the while preparing to move family or away from family.
“They are the heroes who are often deployed and separated from their loved ones for substantial amounts of time because the spouse has a job that helps support the family, or the time spent away is not worth moving the children to a new school. They are the heroes who never say ‘no,’ but always say ‘yes’ to emergency threats and especially the call to war. They are the heroes who are adept at balancing their lives and their service for the sake of service and the demands that come with it.
“They are true heroes because they love what they do, they are good at what they do, and they do it because they were specifically and specially trained to do their part. They are heroes because they stand ready to do the seemingly small things because they know that all hands on deck, a spirit of esprit de corps is needed to accomplish their mission. They are heroes because they do not care how others view them or think of them. They would rather concern and center their focus on the care of others and the preservation of peace in this world. That is why they are heroes for this present time and heroes for the past times.
“So, why should we remember our veterans?
“We should remember them because of the many sacrifices and achievements, for the battles they won on and off the field of honor,” Rev. Hunt continued, “for the injuries and illnesses they have had to endure. For the assistance they earned that at times was not fulfilled. Veterans who served a short or long time have so many ‘sea stories,’ memories, that one cannot help but smile or shudder, or smile and shudder at the same time.
“As for me, the military changed my life in ways I never knew were possible and for which I am forever grateful. I entered the military as a young man without direction, but a desire for something to be a part of. And in exchange, I received a 22-year career that changed my life.
“The military is where I became a man. This day is emotional for me in many ways. It is emotional for me because I met my wife, the lovely and vivacious Veronica White, a fellow veteran of the Coast Guard, while we both served at the Naval Air Station in Glenview. She had told others that the first time she saw me, she was going to marry me. However, I was not as smart as she, and it took a while to realize that God had sent me a gift from heaven.
“She loved the Coast Guard more than I loved the Navy, but I had more seniority, and so she sacrificed her career to follow me.
“She is the apple of my eye, the light in my eyes, the sugar in my coffee, the queen of my heart, and love of my life.
“I would never have met her if I had not volunteered to join the Navy. The order and discipline of the military helped me to become a man during my early time in the military, but the love of a fellow veteran enabled me to become a better man.
“I remember my sons, Matthew and Joshua, were born in the military and how we had to scramble to find the right schools and daycare.
“I remember my most fulfilling tour in the military was when I had the honor of serving at the Pentagon for the Chief of Naval Operations in the office of the Chief of the Naval Reserve. I used the opportunity to learn strategic planning and how to lead, from highly decorated and battle-tested officers who took time to mentor and advise me.
“My only mistake came at the end of my tour at the Pentagon. I never had the chance to explore all the wonders of the Pentagon, so in the last few days before my transfer, I decided to take a self-guided tour. Now the Pentagon does not have a lot of floors, but it does have more than 25 miles of hallway, and I found myself hopelessly lost and had to be escorted back to my office.
“There were many other milestones I remember but are too numerous to list. But I remember the friends I made, the deployments I enjoyed, the sweat equity to earn my degrees. I will remember the sense of purpose that none but the military have experienced. I will always owe a debt, not only to the military, but to all the veterans, those heroes from the past and present who have served with distinction and honor.
“Today, we remember them. It does not matter if our terms of service may have been vastly different. It matters more that we shared a common experience – the distinct honor of serving our country together.
“Each of the six branches of the military – the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard – protect, preserve and provide.
“They serve a higher purpose to put themselves in harm’s way and act as guardians and a source of hope for all Americans. They provide an unstinting and unwavering sense of comfort and the belief the flame of freedom will never be extinguished.
“Veterans are to be remembered, celebrated, and lifted up as heroes because they stood and stand in our stead.
“First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt put it simply: ‘Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility.’
“Now ladies and gentlemen,” Rev. Hunt said in conclusion, “it is our responsibility to support, remember, and celebrate our heroes and veterans.”