Fourth of July means freedom

Warriors- As we ap­proach the Fourth of July, I want to say, “Thank you for defend­ing America’s freedom!” 

What comes to mind when you think of Fourth of July? Do you think of the famous painting of the 56 sign­ers of the Declaration of Independence sitting around the room wait­ing patiently to write their names on such a critical document in America’s history? (While it is nice in con­cept, the painting falsely depicted the signing because 50 of the signers did not sign until August 1776.)

Maybe you think of Will Smith terminating aliens who attacked the U.S.? Maybe you think of a time with family to celebrate with a cookout, swimming, and as night begins you watch fireworks light up the sky. Perhaps you do not have any fond memories of July 4th, and seems regular day… OR maybe when thinking about the business we are in, the warfight­ing business, and you hear Fourth of July, you think “Freedom” with sounds in the background of gunfire, bombs connecting with their target, and that famous A-10, BRRRRRT yelling down: “Not today, insert exple­tive!”

For me, it is all the above. On my most cynical and crude of days, the Fourth of July is just another day! My lovely wife informs me that this side of me may come out far too often, especially around holidays and my birthday. Why do we celebrate Father’s Day? I am a father every day. Why do we celebrate birthdays? It is nothing but a number. Christmas, don’t get me started… The list goes on and she gets frustrated by it.

Moreover, I hail from Port Huron, Michigan and some of my best memories as a kid were when my fam­ily and I celebrated the Fourth of July. Almost every year, if not every year, with most of the community down on the “boardwalk” eating hotdogs and burgers, swimming or throwing a baseball or football, watching freighters drift by on the Saint Clair River passing un­der Blue Water Bridge and into Lake Huron. At night a barge filled with fireworks would float across the wa­ter and we would watch with amazement the display of bright lights and cover our ears as the loud booms would steal the show for 15-20 minutes.

To continue the point, our history has not been perfect and continues to mature, as we all do, but I am so grateful. Our Founding Fathers had tremendous foresight as they were forming a vulnerable collection of colonies, and their decisions must have felt like a painstaking deliberation over every final word. (Side­note- Roughly 50 wing senior leaders took three days to craft our mission, vision, priorities and for some, that was painful.) BUT the Declaration of Indepen­dence was a powerful vision meant to orient a new direction, inspire unity of action, and lay the founda­tion of American rights. While the interpretation and application of these rights have evolved over time, our core principles, as etched into our national identity, have not wavered.

Ultimately, the Fourth of July is a powerful symbol of freedom, a freedom that we, as warfighters, fight to preserve. This freedom, rooted in our history, remains both concrete and fragile. A legacy that demands con­stant vigilance. Ronald Reagan stated, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

If you take part in our Development and Training Flight or enlisted councils (Rising Six and Top Three), you have heard me discuss my “why” and how it has evolved. As a Delayed Enlistment Program trainee, I enlisted in response to the 9/11 attacks; driven to serve and protect on behalf of those who couldn’t. I continue to serve because of my brothers and sisters in arms. For those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and died in conflict or succumbed of their inner demons of war after deployment. Now, my “why” is to ensure you, the warfighters are in the best position to confront our adversaries, when the time comes. Despite fiscal con­straints and congressional mandates, our priority and what Col Perry and I consistently emphasize is simple- Focus on your job! Don’t be distracted by the external noise. Trust us, and your squadron leaders, to miti­gate risks. Focus on your readiness, core competen­cies, and Airmen warfighting knowledge. Freedom, as we know it, demands constant vigilance. It is a battle we must continuously fight for.

From a grateful Command Chief, THANK YOU for the continued dedication and relentless effort you pro­vide defending our freedoms. Stay safe over the holi­day, enjoy your time away with friends and family, and see you in August!