September 2, 2004

EDITORIAL

Yellow Springs should be proud of villagers serving in military
Jansen Adkins says that men and women serving in military hotspots, including Iraq and Afghanistan, are heroes. So are Jansen and others from Yellow Springs who have joined the armed forces to serve this country. Yellow Springers should be proud of these people, many of whom enlisted right out of high school, for their decision to join the military, especially since in these times, they are more likely to see battle.

This week, Jansen Adkins left Yellow Springs to join the U.S. Army for a two-year stint. Jansen, who graduated from Yellow Springs High School in June, says it’s an honor to serve his country. He says he’s not nervous or scared about the thought of going to Iraq or Afghanistan, and if he is deployed to either of those countries, he says he looks forward to helping people. For him, joining the military is the right thing to do.

Jansen is among the YSHS graduates who in recent years have joined the military. Some of the others, according to Jansen, include his classmate Ethan Keller Pitstick, who’s in the Marines; and Airmen Scott Trivett and Grant Thurmond, both of whom are serving in Iraq, and Travis Dean. There are also people with roots here who serve in the National Guard and Reserves.

Most young people in Yellow Springs do not enter the military. After graduating from YSHS, most head off to college, others travel or start pursuing their careers. These young people reflect the liberal qualities of the Yellow Springs community, where people are more likely to support peace activities than military action.

Nevertheless, those who sign up for the military, whether it’s for the adventure, the experience or the financial benefits, are serving a vital role in our society. Given the state of the world today, and the policies of the Bush administration, no one who joins the United States armed forces is making that choice on a whim. That’s one reason why young people like Jansen Adkins, who is so sure of his decision and so confident that he will be safe, should be admired. Jansen understands the risks he faces.

You might not agree with the war on terror or how it is being conducted, or President Bush’s decision to invade Iraq. You might not even agree with the decisions some young people make to enter the military. But you have to admire their courage and their commitment.

—Robert Mihalek