A Tale of Two Veterans

When imagining a veteran it is easy to picture a grandfather in his house with medals prominently displayed in the den and his black and white military photos on the walls reminiscent of heroism and comradery. He is probably stereotypically quiet about the war unless you ask him about it. And of course he proudly hangs the American flag out on the front porch everytime a holiday rolls around. He cries when the national anthem plays and when his hand covers his heart, the words of the pledge are not monotonous but momentous and meaningful. This is the classic veteran and one of the poster men you'd see interviewed by the local news on holidays like today. Of course, he also has a "WWII Veteran" hat on his head and the sticker on his car too. He is frail from age, yet still remains a beacon of strength, patriotism and hope, and our ears are attentive to his every word.

In contrast to this iconic veteran, there is another picture of a serviceman to consider. This other veteran has a scraggly beard and tattered dirty brownish clothing and he carries an enormous backpack around town, which is full of all of his gear. Vietnam was his war, and he loves his country and gave years of life to military service but was never really able to reconnect to civilian normalcy after his fighting days were over. This man, once a strapping lad in uniform, now has worn-out clothing, an odor about him, and an unkempt appearance. He was once dignified and a symbol of bravery, but now society tunes him out and avoids him where possible. He used to dream of opportunities to pursue upon his return from battle, but now simply has short-sighted vision of what he will eat today or where he will walk tomorrow. Truthfully, this veteran may not even be remembered as a veteran by culture at large, though the government has not forgetten as they send a VA check each month. Here is the tale of a classic "has been" who once fought in the name of freedom but now spends his nights shivering outdoors on the concrete porch of St. John's Lutheran church. And like the one he professes to believe in, Jesus, he himself has become the type of man from whom "men hide their faces" (Isaiah 53).

There are so many people who live on the streets who once served our country in the military. I find that striking and disturbing too. What do you think?