Duty, Honor and Integrity

Duty, honor and integrity are three qualities we all admire and respect. But how many of us know the common thread that binds all three?

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary here are the definitions of each:
1. Duty:  Something that you must do because it is morally right.
2. Honor:  High moral standards of behavior.
3. Integrity: Firm adherence to a code especially moral.

The common thread is simple it is concerning or relating to what is right and wrong. It is a common thread that all those who have or currently wear the uniform of the United States military share. They are mandatory qualities of every officer and without question the Commander-in-Chief.

Recent comments from a presidential nominee show a total lack of any of these qualities. Although, I must say some of Donald Trump's comments I have agreed with. To see a candidate that wasn't concerned with being politically correct is refreshing. But, when he demonstrates a  total lack of duty, honor and integrity as he did last Thursday, that is inexcusable.

To defame a man who made the ultimate sacrifice and his family is abhorrent. Captain
Humayun Khan gave his life to protect the men under his command. Khizr and Ghazalla Khan, his parents were targets of Trump's ignorance, prejudice and total lack of respect.

 Here were the parents of a fallen U.S. Army captain, still deep in mourning and palpably proud to be Americans; and here were Muslim immigrants from Pakistan, keenly aware of their uncomfortable place at the center of this year’s presidential campaign; and here was a pocket Constitution, in recent years a popular giveaway for conservative and evangelical groups; and here was a hijab, the Muslim head covering that has become a shorthand for the debate over Islam’s place in the Western world.

The overwhelming response to the appearance by the Khans reflected the cultural and political divide that has dominated American discourse since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Many people took Khizr Khan’s lecture to Donald Trump about liberty and xenophobia as a statement about what patriotism and American identity really mean. Many others took the speech as a partisan blast but nonetheless a powerful plea from parents mourning the death of an American soldier.

Trump took it as a personal affront.

Senator John McCain was another target for the presidential nominee when he rejected Sen. McCain's heroism. As a young Navy officer John McCain spent more than five harrowing years as a prisoner of the North Vietnamese. The injuries he suffered then are still  apparent today.

Yet, this man believes he is qualified to be Commander-in-Chief. That thought terrifies me.

As a veteran, a decorated Army officer who served as a combat commander in Vietnam and Afghanistan the very idea that churns my stomach. While all of us who have worn or currently wear the uniform of the United States will defend freedom of speech, I will not defend anyone who shows such disregard and disrepect for our military and the families who sacrifice so much.

Think twice and very seriously about your vote this November.