Celebrate past, present patriotism

  • Published
  • By Col. Bryan Benson
  • 71st Flying Training Wing
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  It's time for Team Vance to take a well-deserved long weekend to join the rest of the country in celebrating the freedoms that earlier generations of warriors provided us with their sacrifices. As we gather with family and friends to celebrate the 229th anniversary of our independence, the significance of current events will not be far from our thoughts.
Many of us have, or will soon, see first hand the struggle of others to gain the basic rights of freedom that Americans have enjoyed for more than two centuries. You, as present day warriors, demonstrate time and again your willingness to pay the price to help the less fortunate in the world we all share.
This holiday marks the celebration of such patriotism - take advantage of your time off and join in ceremonies taking place in the area. I invite you to join me at 8 p.m. Monday at Meadowlake Park for Enid's Fourth of July festivities. As part of the evening's events, the City of Enid will honor the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., as well as Vance's very own 71st Security Forces Squadron with a unit flag exchange.
The flag exchange is just another example of the tremendous support from our Enid neighbors. Since they kicked off the Enid, America Supports You campaign in March, this little Oklahoman city has been responsible for 2 percent of all e-mails going to troops nationwide. That's the patriotic spirit that the Fourth of July holiday celebrates.
Of course no holiday message would be complete without a few words about safety. You've heard plenty of words that safety needs to be a concern in everything we do, no matter how safe the activity appears. If you needed any evidence of that, just look at an incident that happened earlier this week.
A Team Vance member was enjoying his off-duty time with a leisurely game of golf - a seemingly safe no-contact support. Who would have thought a game of golf could have life threatening consequences? While reaching to retrieve a golf ball, our teammate was bitten by a rattlesnake. Quickly, that relaxing round of golf took on a serious threat.
Fortunately, this individual received the medical attention needed and will soon be rejoining us, but the lesson should not be lost. Regardless of what you may have planned for the weekend, there will be safety issues involved, some of those are addressed elsewhere in this publication, please read them.
From fireworks to grills, from highways to bodies of water, there are many ways and places to enjoy your holiday. Be smart and be safe, use your wingman, take care of each other and I'll see you all back here Tuesday. Have a great Fourth of July Team Vance!