Commentary: Our legacy as Airmen makes a difference

  • Published
  • By Col. Anthony Polashek
  • 916th Operations Group commander
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  I would like to share an amazing experience I had recently, when I attended an event at the state legislature centering on legislation commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration/extermination camp at Dachau, the first of these camps to be liberated. In attendance and honored at the event were camp survivors who were rescued from Dachau, one of the soldiers who participated in the liberation, and a nurse that helped treat the freed inmates.

When we arrived at the designated meeting place in the legislative building, there were a lot of media folks there along with the politicians and other interested parties, and when the special guests to be honored arrived, Staff Sgt. Alan Abernethy and I just tried to keep out of the way as everyone swarmed around them.

I never would have expected what followed, which was that each of the survivors independently escaped the throng and found their way toward us, and approached us personally to shake our hands and thank us for liberating them. They spoke with great humility and gratitude for our military and our nation for being the heroes that risked their lives to come save them.

I've heard similar things over the years on various deployments from citizens of European nations and citizens of South Korea who were eager to thank U.S. servicemen for the impact they have had on their lives. I was really struck by the Dachau survivors' use of the present tense, as if we were personally among those who saved and set them free. "Thank you for rescuing me," "Thank you for not bombing me," etc. It was deliberate and heartfelt, both in those initial meetings and at our social gathering after the event.

This is what I want to share with you: though they spoke these remarks to us personally, it wasn't about us as individuals; they wanted to thank us for being Airmen, for raising our hand and taking the same oath that our predecessors did, and standing tall in our uniforms to do what they would expect us to do again if the need arises, which is to put our lives on the line and be the heroes who do the right thing and save the day.

Despite the negativity we sometimes see out there, I wanted to share with you that this is how much of the world still sees us, as a shining example of good people doing great work on behalf of something much bigger than ourselves, and even as guardians of humanity in the world.

They see us as Airmen who will leave our families to go wherever we need to in the world and risk our lives to confront and if necessary defeat those who would impose the horrors of the darkest side of humanity. They believe that, because that is the legacy our predecessors have earned and left to us. Now if that doesn't make you feel small in the uniform you wear, I don't know what will. It's an awful lot to live up to.

In these times of a tiny military with an enormous responsibility, I would like you to know that what these survivors communicated to me and what I truly believe about each and every one of you is this: You are bigger than you know, and more important than you realize.

The box office success of comic book figures in recent years is one indicator of how folks yearn for heroes, and I will tell you that for many millions in this world, because you wear our United States Air Force uniform, you represent something pretty awesome. In truth, you need to be pretty awesome, because so much depends on us both now and as we face many new challenges in the near future. We need you to be great, and to lead and develop those under you to be even better, so that our nation can always depend on us to be the world's greatest Air Force when they need us to save the day.

We have great Airmen that make a difference every day. Do not be discouraged when the challenges seem enormous (some of them are, but great Airmen have conquered countless great challenges before), embrace your legacy and lead our Airmen to make a difference for the future.

Thanks for reading this; I hope what they had to say struck a chord with you as it did with me. You can read the actual resolution as read in the legislature if you'd like at the following link:

http://www.ncleg.net/Applications/BillLookUp/LoadBillDocument.aspx?SessionCode=2015&DocNum=3139&SeqNum=0

Here's a link to one local news story if you are interested, so you can see a few of the people themselves:

http://www.wwaytv3.com/2015/04/29/veteran-concentration-camp-survivor-reunite-70-years-later/

Best wishes, and thanks for all you do for our teammates, our Air Force, and our grateful nation.