Saturday, September 10, 2011

We all have a choice

NOTE: I am publishing this blog entry retroactively because during this time I was busy performing base defense operations and didn't have enough time to write and post.

A coworker of mine mentioned that he had volunteered to man a guard tower during the weekend's ten year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.  I was intrigued and frankly wanted to do more than fight a war with a PowerPoint presentation or by attending meetings, so I asked how I could volunteer as well.  I was directed to speak with the chief of the BDOC (Base Defense Operations Center) that oversees the security of our compound.  I was given a walk through orientation and a briefing in the ROE (Rules of Engagement), and then assigned a shift during our heightened security phase.

I had been assigned to work the second shift for eight hours a night.  Before my first night out I spoke to my shop director and explained where I'd be for the next couple of days.  His response was to ask why I volunteered for this duty.  Keep in mind that Soldiers of my age and rank are above doing this sort of duty.  I explained that they needed volunteers to help keep the base safe, and that I felt an obligation since there weren't enough people who volunteered.  He almost looked ashamed for asking me and said that he thought it was a good idea.  Of course, it was my choice to help out, but I felt compelled to do more than what most of my counterparts were doing to feel safe and secure on what some of us like to call "Camp Cupcake".

Somewhere outside the walls of our compound, individuals are making a choice to attack targets, both those allied against them and others that completely innocent because of a self centered ideology of intolerance and selfishness.  They've chosen a path of evil based on the desire to control and cause destruction, sometimes because of a conscious decision to do harm and sometimes because of a complete ignorance of their misguided cause.  In either case, it was a personal choice to choose that path.  There is always a choice, and they have chose poorly.

Back in the United States, people align themselves with political ideologies based on what affects them the most.  As the saying goes, all politics is local, and people choose based on what has the greatest effect on them.  I like to ask people why they believe certain ideologies and profess them the way they do?  Is it out of a deep seated need or desire to help people, or is it because of a selfish motivation to control others and hoard resources?  I could go and list any political issue in play today and pick it apart using these criteria.  When everything is said and done, do you want your political opinions to be based on a selfish motivation and desire to control others or would you rather be known for advocating ideas that benefit society in general?  When put that way, a lot of individuals no longer like to share their political opinions.

Life in general is all about choices, and then face the repercussions of those choices.  I knew full well that this duty would interfere with not only by regular work, writing my nightly blog, and my workout time, but also my sleep schedule.  I also knew I'd be looked at oddly for volunteering since I was much older and outranked the majority of those pulling this guard duty.  However, something compelled me to assist, and at that point, I wasn't sure why I did it.  In retrospect, I believe it was a gentle nudge from a greater power asking me to step up for a short while and and assist where others either weren't able or weren't willing.

The next time you're faced with a situation or problem, ask yourself what choices do you have available.  Then ask yourself if your statements or actions will be viewed as selfish or will they be viewed in retrospect as the right thing to do for the better good of all.  Sometimes, the answer is clearer than it first appears to be.

More to follow.

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