Continued:From One Generation of Soldiers to the Next
Soldiers from the 1-25th Battalion individually greet and thank author Joe Finch after the discussion is over.

The command sergeant major stirred the concoction and sampled it again. He declared it was missing another key ingredient: the sands of Iraq. Both of the battalion commanders got up, took a dusty boot, and turned it upside down. “Sand” poured into the punch bowl. Then Colonel Brown dropped the whole boot into the punch and stirred it. He drank a sample from the boot, and dropped it back in the bowl, satisfied. The sergeant major picked up a ceremonial paddle, stirred the punch and pronounced it fit for consumption. Everyone in the room got a small sample, and the bowl was empty within ten minutes.

After dinner, Col. Davis introduced Finch, who was more than taken aback by the kind comments provided by the battalion staff. In his speech, he emphasized how proud the country is of its soldiers: “You would have to see, as I did, the outpouring of honor and respect on the national mall on Veterans Day a few weeks ago to fully grasp the swell of public patriotism and honest admiration for each of you in uniform.” He also noted how far the American soldier has come since his experience in Vietnam. “Today, former members of the Little Bears like myself see you as more technically and tactically proficient than we were. We just sort of showed up one at a time in a strange country and tried our best to stay alive. You have a cohesive, well working team. You are more physically fit and better trained.”

‘Defending democracy demands more than successful military compaigns. It also requires an understanding of the ideals, ideas, and institutions that shaped our country and make it great. If you don’t know why democracy is worth fighting for, there’s a good chance you won’t fight for it.’


— Joe Finch

Finch also talked about the important role the soldiers played in maintaining democracy. “Defending democracy demands more than successful military campaigns. It also requires an understanding of the ideals, ideas and institutions that shaped our country and make it great. If you don’t know why democracy is worth fighting for there’s a good chance you won’ t fight for it,” he said. He concluded with a few comments on spirituality and faith: “The Bible tells us in Psalm 139:14 ‘We are fearfully and wonderfully made’—a fact any doctor will confirm. We are fragile yet resilient, delicate yet strong, weak and powerful fearful and courageous, and we have a spiritual dimension that science cannot fathom.” As he finished, the room erupted. People jumped to their feet and the applause was deafening.

As Finch walked back to his table, Colonel Brown met him and gave him a hug, and led him back to the podium. He presented an engraved ornamental bowl from the officers and men of the 1-25 to LTC ( R) Joseph Finch. As he again made his way back to his seat, Col. Davis reached across two people to shake his hand and thank him for his remarks. Finch was overwhelmed by the positive response. Even after he returned home to Virginia, he received many emails and phone calls to thank him for his appearance.

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