American Valor Quarterly Issue 3 - Summer 2008 | Page 3

FROM THE EDITOR

Valor’s Champion
By Tim Holbert
In his must-read new book The Strongest Tribe chronicling the war
in Iraq, Marine Corps veteran and author Bing West laments the
fact that the American media has often been quick to denounce
our military while generally ignoring our heroes. He writes, “When
a single deed of negligence receives vastly more attention than a
hundred deeds of valor, the country is diminished.” More directly, he writes, “When valor has no champion, America loses.”
Most Americans look back with shame on the way our veterans
were treated after Vietnam. A brave and noble generation of
American servicemen came home to scorn, contempt, and ridicule.
Never again, most agree, should our uniformed men and women
be treated in such a fashion, regardless of our opinions of the
foreign policy of the U.S. government.
Yet while most Americans will say they support the troops, and
most genuinely do appreciate their service, there is something
missing. Acknowledgment of heroism among our men and
women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan is often looked at by
media as tacit support of the war or the administration.
This should certainly not be the case. Heroism among those in
uniform should be as lauded today as it was when they stormed
the beaches of Normandy or scaled Mt. Suribachi. They have
nothing to do with government policy; as Tennyson wrote,
“Their's not to reason why, Their's but to do and die.” Yet, they
are not victims, and should not be portrayed as such – they are
soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines as great and noble as any in
American history. Honor is their right, as it is what they have
earned.

A M E R IC AN VA LO R

The mission of the American Veterans Center is to be “valor's
champion.” Everything we do is designed to not only honor our
veterans from every generation, but to spotlight their stories of
heroism and to provide a forum for them to share their lessons
with the public and future generations. Their selfless service is a
model from which all of us can learn. That is why AMERICAN
VALOR QUARTERLY is devoted to first-hand accounts from
those who have borne witness to the great moments in American
military history. It is also why the Center has produced a long
history of documentary work, including the weekly radio series
Veterans Chronicles, featuring interviews with America's most
distinguished veterans and service members, as ݕ