Recently I was asked about the flag. It was a pretty innocuous question: "How does that make you feel to watch the flag at colors?" I answered the question and went about my business. Later, while sitting in my stateroom, I reflected on the question and found myself compelled to write down my thoughts. As I wrote, I watched the evening news and noticed a significant number of "embedded" media reporters who are simply amazed at our operations in Iraq. I wonder if they notice the number of U.S. flags sewn on uniforms.
For those in uniform, respect for the flag is ingrained. We have a collective but unspoken understanding. In fact, few probably have thought about the flag any more than I did before I was asked about it. When so many of our comrades are on the front lines and we watch the television to see war in a way that is simultaneously visceral and detached, now is the time to articulate what the flag means to all of us.
I believe the flag is more than merely colored cloth, and it is something less than sacred and mystic fabric. It is one of the great symbols of this nation and of the values we share. In almost 23 years of service I have seen many different parts of this and numerous other countries. The flag at morning colors is an amazing testament lo this country's great resolve to meet future challenges. The fact that on every day in every installation this ritual is repeated is a living symbol of the covenant that leaders and subordinates share. Morning colors is the focal point of our commitment, and for me it is an affirmation of my willingness to continue a life of service.
When I watch the events unfolding in Basra, Baghdad, and Tikrit it is amazing how many times I catch a glimpse of the symbol that represents so much about the ideals that form the basis of this country. Go to any bivouac or any ship's workshop and look at any uniform, and you will find that flag—it may be there only as an object in the background, but it is there.
Every morning at colors we all step back and for a brief moment stop to focus on our mutual commitment. For some it is perfunctory and for others it is inspiring, but for all it is a chance to recognize that we wear a mantel of incredible responsibility. Don't tell me today's youth don't get it—they are some of the most patriotic people I have ever known. They are the next in a long line of brave and selfless warriors. They are a credit to the memory of those who have served and sacrificed so much in our past.
At sunset when we watch the flag slowly lowered in reverent fashion and readied for the next morning, it is then that I believe we should take a moment to focus on our glorious past. This country is far from perfect and our past is not unblemished, but this nation has survived and thrived because of our diversity, internal debate, and our willingness to sacrifice. Our history records many honored heroes and many noble accomplishments, and it is fitting on this coming Memorial Day that we take a moment to remember them. We should be keenly aware of the fact that the ink used to list the names of those heroes who gave their full measure still is not dry.
I have watched the flag pass from hand to hand at retirement ceremonies, funerals, and burials at sea. It has caught my eye flying from our great monuments and our smallest installations. I have cherished it in drawings from elementary school children that came in a box marked "To any sailor." I have sewn it on my jacket and watched it at night on the bridge of a ship with the stars above. Accepting the fact that some people will burn the flag as part of their right to dissent was difficult for me, but my faith in this country is renewed when I see a member of the armed services protect that sacred right to protest.
We have the distinct privilege to renew our commitment and reaffirm our covenant to one another with a powerful and yet very simple ritual at the beginning and end of every day. So, on this Memorial Day, during this time of conflict when we find ourselves embroiled in the fight against terrorism and the regimes that support it, let us pause, take a few moments, and think about the meaning of our flag.
Lieutenant Commander Shaw is executive officer of the McCampbell (DDG-85). He also is the former commanding officer of the Thunderbolt (PC-12) and Firebolt (PC-10).