|
Added to our stressors today is the threat of terrorism. Whereas once we could
remain at home and let war play out in far-away places, today, the threat comes
to us. When I was a civilian student at the Army War College, my research
project was civilians on the battlefield. Civilians, government and contractor
employees, are a necessary part of military operations but their duties and
responsibilities under fire were not very clear to many military personnel. It
was intriguing research. September 11, 2001 brought the battlefield to us in a
way we had never imagined. Thousands of civilians found themselves on the front
line. Today the threat of more foreign aggression on American soil is very real.
How can we go about our daily routines and even take charge of our lives? That
may be difficult, but it is imperative.
The nature of the battlefield has changed. The old war movies are being
rewritten. The women who stayed at home to work in the manufacturing plants and
to raise the children during the Second World War--our mothers and
grandmothers-- set an example of how to keep the country running in time of
peril. Now it's our turn to step up to the plate. What can we do?
First, decide what you're trying to accomplish. You can do a lot to reduce
the stress of those around you as well as your own. Children, especially, need
your protection. They reflect the attitude and moods of their parents and other
adults, in large part. It's the responsibility of the parents to handle this so
that it does not influence the children negatively. There may be others who are
dependent upon you, such as elderly parents or organizations. You need to
maintain equilibrium and limit displays of negative emotions. Stay with the
usual routine as much as possible. Second, what are the obstacles? List them.
Maybe you're suddenly a single parent; maybe you've been activated and now find
yourself wearing a uniform. Maybe you protested against the war, exercising one
of your basic freedoms as an American, and have a hard time accepting the new
course of events. I have crossed protest lines to get to my desk in the Pentagon
in the past, and other times, I've marched in the streets of Washington, D.C. as
a sign-carrying protestor. Identify your obstacle and face it head on. Recognize
it for what it is, and get on with your life. The sooner you accept what you
cannot change and begin working to make what you can change better, the sooner
you'll be able to help someone else.
Third, enroll others; form a support team, offer assistance. Focus on
positive thoughts and express yourself in a positive manner so as not to excite
others. Find a small safe zone to let off steam or shed a tear, a private place
with peers who can offer understanding and possibly assistance. Know that other
people will be looking to you for guidance and strength. If you find a lot of
time on your hands, don't just volunteer and fall in line. Step aside and look
around your community to see if there's a need that may have been overlooked. Be
a leader and a creative thinker. This country deserves the very best from each
of us. We can't just rely on the military "over there" and the government to
take care of us. Each of us can pitch in and be a force for the good of our
families, our communities, and our country.
|
