What you ought to be, can be, and will be

I often find myself reading about World War II more often than any other period in history. I also find the documentaries on the History Channel very interesting and think there is a great deal that can be learned from that time period. Whenever you talk to someone who has served in the military and been overseas fighting for our freedoms, there is something about them that stands out from everyone else. I used to stop at a coffee shop years ago where some World War II vets would visit and drink coffee every morning. You can learn a lot from listening to them, and their stories can inspire almost anyone. Many people take our freedoms for granted, and many appreciate our freedoms and know how important what we have are; but I can imagine it has a special meaning for those who have fought over seas, been wounded, lost those who they served with, and family and friends who no longer have a loved one around because of their sacrifice.

There is a lot to gain from serving in the military, such as the ability to learn specialized fields, learning to become a leader, discipline; there are also good benefits from serving including GI Bills and other medical care. But there is also a lot to give up at home, and there are very few jobs that require the possibility of taking someone's life in order to protect someone else's.

Douglas MacArthur said "Duty, Honor, Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be."

Nearly half of the employees at the Sheriff's Office have served, or are currently serving in the military, and after working with them for some time, I can say they still serve with those same three words, and those words do dictate who they are. A few weeks ago I mentioned in a column that if someone was offended by the U.S. Flag in the Sheriff's Office we would politely show them where the door was. I had a couple of people tell me that I should not direct our staff to be so rude. What they did not know is that I was not directing our staff to be so rude, I was directing them to be that polite! You see, the Sheriff's Office is full of deputies who have fought overseas for that flag. When you are willing to give your life for what it stands for, it does not come across very well when you tell them how much it offends you and you want it taken down. I would like to say thank you to each one of them for their service and their willingness to protect that flag.

Today, however, I would like to especially recognize one of our deputies that works in the jail and has recently made the decision to join the military so that he may serve his country overseas, before continuing to serve the citizens of Vernon County. Deputy Dustin Honeyfield worked in the Vernon County Jail for several years before attending the MSSU Police Academy and becoming a deputy for Vernon County. He will soon be leaving the Sheriff's Office to serve in the military. I have no doubt that Deputy Honeyfield will serve his country well and we appreciate his decision to join our military and protect our freedoms and our flag. Although he will be missed at the Sheriff's Office, we are proud to have another one of our own in the United States military. We wish him well and hope to see him return someday, ready to serve once more as a Vernon County Deputy.