As we celebrate our nation’s independence this month, I reflect on my service in the Army and the friends I made, and lost, during that time.
One of those friends was a young Corporal named Andy Harper who had served in the Old Guard. For those that are not familiar with the Old Guard, they are the Army’s elite Honor Guard. Although they have many duties, they are best known for guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, receiving fallen soldiers home, and escorting the casket for funeral processions. Their discipline is unrivaled, their commitment unquestionable.
But what Andy taught me most, was that honor wasn’t just in their title, it was their way of life.
What does it mean to be a man of honor though? The best definition I could find was actually Wikipedia which defined honor as: “the idea of a bond between an individual and a society, as a quality of a person that is both of social teaching and of personal ethos, which manifests itself as a code of conduct, and has various elements such as valor, chivalry, honesty, and compassion.”
Andy embodied all of these characteristics, even when it was difficult to do so.
Unfortunately, we live in scandalous times where we are daily insulted with the false notions of situational ethics, relative truths, and alternative facts. Men of honor, like Andy, are needed more than ever. As such, I issue this challenge: be a quality man who lives by an uncompromising code of conduct characterized by valor, chivalry, honesty, and above all else compassion! Moreover, I challenge you to raise sons that follow in the example you have set and that they also become men of honor. Let us all be Men IN Action and men of honor.
In humble service,
Jeremy Echerd
A Man IN Action
