Note that I used the word renew rather than continue. This is for good reason. The last week of September a group of Groom Lake veterans had the honor of participating in a legacy tour in our nation’s capitol where they conducted panel presentations at various agencies of our government. I returned home with the realization that our audiences consisted of veterans of our time, but were sadly void of the younger generation I expected to be filling the shoes of the 1.2 million or more men and women who perished in or as a result of military conflicts that enabled us to live in a free society today.
Today, while my “can do” generation pays solemn remembrance and homage to America’s finest heroes who gave everything in defense of our freedom, I fear we have somehow created an iPod generation that sees this merely as a day for celebrating a day off from work. One must take stock of our somehow failing to educate this generation to understand the sacrifices made in order to win and preserve the freedom they enjoy today. Today many of our leaders, media, politicians, judges, and even our educators have removed God, our Pledge of Allegiance, and even the wearing of the American Flag from our schools and public events for fear they might offend someone. Our veterans fought for these rights. We have to ask, "Were the sacrifices of our veterans made in vain?" Has political correctness replaced the pride, the protocol, the honor code, code of conduct, and even our nation’s constitution espoused by generations past?
While we are renewing commitment to the past service to our great country, we must also renew love of country, belief in freedom, opportunity, responsibility, and faith in America's future. As we commemorate this day of reverence and respect, let us also remember this unity of spirit that has guided our nation forward from its beginnings. No words can repay the debt of gratitude we owe to the men and women who have stood up for our freedom. We can, however, honor the memory of our veterans best by remaining the best kind of Americans we can be and by keeping our nation strong and secure, one nation under God, to fulfill the vision of a better world that so many of our veterans gave so much to create. To accomplish this we must somehow reestablish our generation and its standards as icons and models to the generations to follow. As Director of the Nevada Aerospace
Hall of Fame I intend for NVAHOF to set standards and high water marks in education and the honoring our state’s role models for others in our nation to follow. THORNTON D. "TD" BARNES
Director Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame
President Roadrunners Internationale
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