To the 4th: Storied fighter wing lives its history every day

It's a difficult thing watching a fellow service member die -- unimaginable.

For those who haven't experienced the horror, may you never.

But whether the life is lost in combat, in training to execute the mission, or in the course of daily events -- after all, life still happens to you while serving and so accidents, illnesses and other untimely deaths do occur -- the emotional toll persists.

That is part of why the bonds forged in the midst of serving are unlike those found anywhere else. The experiences shared only by those who were there aren't duplicated in other walks of life.

It is such that the traditions borne out of the military are so lasting, are so somber and yet are so instilled with pride and camaraderie.

And it is why celebrating the legacies of squadrons and wings, companies, battalions, bases, forts and stations is so important. Above any one, is the collective. Before any individual, comes the mission.

These events remind us why we serve, why the sacrifices of those who died can never be forgotten, and why, despite any amount of survivors guilt or grief with which we might quietly burden ourselves, we forge on.

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base this weekend invited a few guests onto the installation to join in the celebration of the 4th Fighter Wing's 75th anniversary. Its history is unique and storied. And, as much as the base has, the 4th Fighter Wing has over its many decades become an integral part of the larger community that is Wayne County.

The many retirees and prior service members who live here, even those who served at bases other than Seymour, or in branches other than the Air Force, know what only service members and their families know. And it is to the credit of the community that supports them all that we are able to come together to honor the legacy of this historic wing.

Time capsules like the opened and then resealed at SJAFB Friday offer glimpses into history and promises of the future. They recall the missions flown, the victories won and the lives lost in the course of defending freedom. But they also save room for the mementos of those who support the mission -- those who call the men and women who serve spouses, parents, friends, colleagues and neighbors.

The traditions revisited, such as the annual piano burning that marks the Battle of Britain, invite us all to look at the total cost of war and, hopefully, to imbue us with the lessons that history can teach.

We salute each one who came before us, and we quietly remember those we knew, and loved. And we revel, loudly, in the fact that we remain to help execute the missions of today. We do so proudly.

It is an honor to serve and an honor to support those who do. Here is to 75 more years of being Fourth, but first.

Published in Editorials on September 16, 2017 8:59 PM