Flag Day 2023 reflection: The fight for freedom is HERE
June 14th is an important day for me every year.
First, it is the anniversary of a tragic loss of an American hero, U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Joshua Klinger, in Al Fallujah, Iraq in 2005. Every year on this day, I reflect on Joshua’s sacrifice for this country, and on a promise I made to his mother and father to take care of him on that deployment. I will be eternally sorrowful for my inability to keep that promise, but I remain eternally grateful when I remember the promise of eternal life granted to believers like Joshua.
Second, it is “Flag Day” established by President Woodrow Wilson on the 100th anniversary of the June 14, 1777, Second Continental Congress’s’ resolution that “the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white,” and that “the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
It was important that the new Republic standardize the battle colors under which its defenders fought against British tyranny. Of course, that original flag changed over time to what we display today that represents our republic, and – most importantly – our Constitution and the freedom it guarantees.
Because our flag symbolizes that freedom it has always been an object of my affection and respect. It was present when I swore into the United States Marine Corps on my 18th birthday – taking an oath to defend our Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It was present during my commissioning that took place the spring after 9/11.
My reverence for the flag inspired me to keep it present with me during my entire career in the Corps.
I dedicated a small 3’x5’ American flag as my “combat flag” to accompany me on my various tours of duty overseas. I carried it folded in my rucksack and told myself I’d only ever unfold it in combat zones and never on American soil so that it maintained that special spiritual and psychological importance.
That flag was unfolded on the tops of mountains in Afghanistan, over the rubble remains of Saddam Hussein’s palaces, and over the city of Al Fallujah on September 11th 2005 in Iraq. These important occasions were not in an effort to symbolize “colonization” of another nation, but rather to express our desire to fight tyrants overseas and help others establish the same kind of freedom we enjoy here – where government comes from the consent of the governed.
On September 11th and 12th, 2012, in the wake of the deadly attack on our U.S. consulate in Benghazi, I was deployed to Africa, south of Libya and I thought for sure this flag would be unfolded again. We never got the call to support and thus it stayed folded in my rucksack. Warriors willing to serve and answer the call were told to “stand down” and Americans were told lies about the nature of that deadly terrorist attack and those who perpetrated it.
In January 2014 I received a call from a long-time mentor of mine with a request that I consider employment with the Center for Security Policy. That call was a direct answer to prayer. I had left active duty, having felt called by God to do so but not sure for what purpose. The day I truly gave it up to the Lord and prayed that he’d show me….was the day I got that call about this new career opportunity. So, of course, I took the job!
I quickly came to understand my responsibilities at the Center to analyze threats to the Republic from an unconstrained point of view and to tap into an incalculably valuable network of experts on a wide range of topics. All of a sudden, things I couldn’t understand on deployment became much clearer when I had an opportunity to study enemy threat doctrine – such as the doctrine of our jihadist enemies.
As I researched and analyzed what enemies of our Constitution believe and how they operate worldwide, it became immediately apparent that these enemies had done immense damage to the U.S. national security community through infiltration and influence. As I researched the terrible vulnerabilities of our critical infrastructures upon which we depend for life it also became apparent that these enemies can end our civilization without engaging our military on overseas battlefields.
What I realized is that the fight is not “over there” but actually “over here.” With that realization, I began to unfold my combat flag on American soil– but only when I’m with a group of patriots working to defend this Republic– and I take that opportunity to repledge my allegiance to it.
Last spring, we unfolded it in the office of Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. Gathered there were people whose careers had ended over the COVID vaccine mandate, including courageous doctors. Landry was fighting for the rights of children and parents in the state with respect to a childhood COVID vaccine mandate being promoted by the governor, state health department and pharmaceutical industry. Having my own career in the Marines cut short over the same unethical mandate, it was inspiring to see an AG fight for his citizens and their rights. A state attorney general was willing to do what not one single general officer was willing to do in the Department of Defense for his or her own subordinates.
Just last month as I traveled to California for work and attended a meeting with CSP supporters, my rental vehicle’s windows were bashed in, and all my belongings stolen – including my special combat flag.
The criminals hit a dozen vehicles in one hour and the attendant at the San Francisco airport said it happens to multiple rental vehicles every day – underscoring the lawlessness that has been allowed to propagate in parts of the country. Yet another reminder that the fight is here.
Today I took the opportunity to have a meaningful talk with my children about about our nation and about our flag. We discussed the importance of respecting the flag, even if the person serving as Commander in Chief were willing to disrespect it by violating flag etiquette and elevating the LGBTQ flag to a more prominent position at the White House last Sunday. We discussed the importance that “daddy forgive those criminals who stole his flag” and forgive the President who utterly disrespects it…and the reality that I fought for their freedom too.
Since I recently bought another 3’ x 5’ flag, the children and I practiced folding it and discussing the meaning of the colors, stars, and stripes and the freedom it symbolizes. We also discussed the importance that we never give up our commitment to that freedom or to honoring the sacrifices of those who fought for it and fight for it still.
We tuned into the original music video of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” and watched it together, with tears in our eyes. (I suggest you watch it too today.)
The flag still stands for freedom. Many wish to take that freedom away and turn our America into a land of tyranny.
America, you can count on me – and on CSP – to “proudly stand up, next to you, and defend her still today” against freedom’s enemies, both foreign and domestic.
So, stay tuned. In the coming weeks I’ll be writing more about where we are in this important struggle and what must be done to secure freedom and America.
