I’ve heard many Americans complain that sustaining the military cost too much. They are troubled by the amount of money we spend when it comes to our Armed Forces. The 2019 Defense Budget, approved by Congress and signed by President Trump, includes a 2.6 percent pay increase and a $716 billion price tag.
Is this really necessary? Is it right that the majority of America’s budget goes toward national defense?
We’ve all heard the reasons that supposedly justifies such massive spending: “They keep us safe,” is the usual response.
But they actually do more.
Have you ever considered how important it is that we have the strongest military on this planet? What benefit do YOU derive from a powerful military?
On this Veterans Day weekend you might want to answer that question. And if you respond correctly, you’ll probably be grateful that we have such a budget.
Consider for a moment how this military of ours affects YOUR life.
You need to know something: Everything you get to do in your life is because of the military. Everything!
Here’s a fact: if we are a weak, defenseless country, our enemies (and there are many) would have easy access to us. They could invade our borders, and with little resistance, occupy our country.
But because of the presence of a strong military, all the freedoms we enjoy are protected. ALL OF THEM.
You get to pursue your dreams without fear of a foreign invasion.
You can chase any career you desire.
You can vacation anywhere you want.
You can choose what college you want to attend.
And you owe all of this this to the men and women who are willing to sacrifice their life – so you can enjoy yours. They forfeit their dreams while giving you the opportunity to go after yours.
Many opponents of a strong military fail to realize that without them everything else would be threatened.
Every night on late night TV, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Stephen Colbert ridicule the President of the United States. They forget that he, as Commander in Chief, and the rest of the military, make possible their lucrative careers. They forget that the 42 million dollars combined that they are paid yearly, is because of the military (and the Commander in Chief who leads them). They get to live in luxury and enjoy a lifestyle that few will ever know.
And they get to do so because of the military.
Often, the topics that take front and center, such as the Environment or Education, can only be addressed and corrected if we have a strong military.
For example, it wouldn’t matter how much money and time we devoted to our kids’ education, if they weren’t safe. The military provides a safe environment in which our kids can learn without fear of foreign invasion.
You may be a small business owner, a “mom and pop” store on the corner of some tiny American town. You get to do that because of the military. The protection they give enables you to operate that small business.
The military doesn’t just keep us free: they make it possible for us to pursue our dreams.
Tonight I went to a sporting goods store. I needed something that only they had. While there I struck up a conversation with one of the salesmen, Carl. Though he’s only 24 years old, he is a seasoned combat veteran, having been deployed several times to Afghanistan. He had a smile that lit up the room, but it only served as a cover for his pain. Carl has killed a lot of terrorists.
He proudly showed me a photo of his unit.
I’ve never been one to leave well-enough alone. I wanted to know how this young man was doing. When I inquired about his emotional health, the dam broke.
“I’m not doing too good. I got extreme PTSD, nightmares and all.”
Within minutes I made arrangements with Colonel Grossman to get him a copy of his book, “On Combat.” I assured him it would be in his mailbox within days. Colonel Grossman’s book has helped thousands of veterans like Carl.
I’m roaming the mall with my granddaughter tonight. I can go in to any store I want, buy anything I want. When I’m done, I will wander out to my car, and go wherever I please. And tomorrow, I’ll do it all over again.
If I get an itch to move my family across the country, I can do so. If I want to open my own business, I can do that.
I’m a free man, living in a free country. I can fully engage in “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Thank you Carl for making this possible.
YES - 700 billion is justified.
WE HAVE A SHEEPDOG SEMINAR IN PUEBLO, COLORADO THIS COMING FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16. Pastor Frank Pomeroy will be with us. He is the pastor of the church in Sutherland Springs, Texas where an angry gunman entered and murdered 26 people in November of 2017 (and injured 20 more). Click here for info.
Church Safety Seminar in Dallas, Texas on December 1st. It will be hands on training. Click here for info.
