Tuesday, June 17, 2025

celebrating the colors

  With all the discussion around the recent military parade I just naturally have to add my observations and comments. It is part of the reason I write these blogs after all, as a record of my thoughts for future generations. I have made it known that I fully supported having such a grand parade to celebrate the army's 250th birthday. A show of respect for those that have and those that continue to serve. It also doesn't hurt to show off your strength just a bit every now and again. Seeing is believing! Well, it used to be that way but that is another discussion for another day perhaps. You can't be too sure about what you are seeing these days. I did watch that parade and was proud of my Army, even though I'm a retired Navy man. 
  I hear much about the cost of this parade, most reports estimate 45 million dollars. These costs include road repair after tanks and such go down the roadway. There was the cost of outfitting all the soldiers with the various uniforms to represent various time periods. They also figured the cost of fuel for the vehicles, transportation costs to get them there and the pay. President Trump is reported to have said, that's peanuts. Whatever the actual cost was it's my feeling it was worth the price. And here's the thing, we don't know how much it all costs. Do a google search for that information and all you will get is somewhere between 25 and 45 million as a guess. Accounting is an art form. The numbers can be manipulated and recorded in any number of columns. Yes, accountants are very creative people indeed. For that reason we have these figures of somewhere between 25 and 45 million, maybe, could have been.
  I was struck however, as I watched the parade on Fox5, that there were advertisements. I don't know what else you would call it when it the said who was "sponsoring" the parade. I remember seeing Lockheed Martin and Oracle. I find that a bit unsettling. Now, as I said I'm in full support of having this parade but I'm not too sure about advertising for your sponsors! It came across as a bit cheap and cheesy to me. Given the amount of taxes we the people are paying I'm thinking we should be able to afford a parade! But that seemed to me like, we needed a sponsor. Walmart donated $500,000 but said it wasn't really for the parade, it was for the Army's' Revolutionary war exhibit. 
  Other sponsors also saying it wasn't for the parade but for a variety of other things. In my view those sponsors are just hedging theirs bets and attempting to straddle the fence. I support the parade but I don't support Trump even though I'm giving a significant amount of money in support of the parade, not in support of Trump, unless that is a good thing with you, then we support Trump. For me it's like Target and some other big box stores with their "pride" stuff. They are all in, until that proves to be not so popular, then it's scaled back a bit or eliminated altogether. We support the LGBTQ+ community but we won't say that too loud anymore, we'll just whisper it hoping you don't hear. 
  But whatever the reason for those sponsors, whatever their motives were, isn't the point. I'm just saying I found it a bit tacky. Are we going to start attaching advertising to military uniforms as well? You know, to defray the costs. Nike supplying boots and Under Armor suppling tee shirts or whatever? Many years ago, when I was on active duty, the Navy was looking for a new supplier for bell bottom jeans. Yes, I was in the Navy when we wore bell bottom jeans and I loved it! The Levi Straus company bid on that contract but insisted on having their little red tag on them. That was rejected by the government office that decides on such things. Levi's held fast and we started getting jeans from some other supplier of inferior quality, but they were cheaper. Look, I'm just saying we shouldn't be having sponsors when it comes to such things. Sponsors are trying to attract business, that is why they give the money. If our military now needs sponsors, we are in worse shape than I thought!
 The U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission was established in 2016 to plan and orchestrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. Barack Obama was the president at that time. So, the roots of this parade can be traced back to him. It was a non-partisan decision by congress to authorize this, everyone agreeing we should celebrate that milestone. This celebration will culminate on July the 4th. Flag Day was chosen as the day for a grand military parade to "carry the colors" of the United States of America. That was the sole reason that date was chosen. It had nothing to do with Trumps birthday. Trump wasn't even in anyone's thought while this was being planned back in 2016. It just turned out to be an ironic circumstance. 
  What that parade was celebrating was the adoption of our flag on June 14, 1777 as the official flag of the United States of America. The significance of the flag has been lost on many today. Before there were telephones and radios, flags were the communication of the battlefield. The flag identified who you were! Very important thing to know in the heat of battle so as it avoid what we call today, friendly fire. That flag shouted it out to the world, we ae the United States of America. We have all seen in the movies how the flag bearer went down and someone else quickly picking up that standard. That is historically accurate! The flag bearers were a target for the enemy. Picking that flag up when it fell in battle was a very brave act, making yourself the target. That is an act of bravery. That is why we are the land of the free and the home of the brave. That is the bravery that made us free. Yes, it is that Flag! That is why we should honor and respect that flag. 
  It's a shame that we don't recognize flag day with much more than a date on the calendar. No three day weekend associated with that, no big parties or picnics. This year we did have that grand parade to celebrate that flag. It should serve as a reminder of all those that have "carried the colors" in harms way. That flag flies because of their bravery! That flag is the symbol of their home! They carried in proudly and protected it from falling with their lives. That's why we were taught the flag should never touch the ground! Each time it does should be a reminder, a life lost defending you! That's the only time that flag hits the ground. Held in the arms of a fallen soldier and picked up again by another brave soldier, another American that continues the fight.
 I am humbled and proud to join in that parade, a parade to celebrate the colors. Red for Valor. White for Purity and Blue for Vigilance. 

                                                                                      

                                                                                     

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