“Hey, Joe,” a quiet however acquainted voice mentioned to me from the doorway of a small room with plush furnishings. The room was meant to supply as a lot consolation as attainable for the households of army members on the worst day of their life: the day the stays of their family members are returned to them at Dover Air Drive Base.I had been alone within the room for just a few minutes and was exhausted however stressed; the earlier three days felt like three years and three minutes all of sudden, as a result of a lot had been taken from my household so shortly and irrevocably that I felt like I used to be again at warfare and had simply gotten attacked, however in contrast to in warfare, I couldn’t combat again.That voice from the doorway, although, was acquainted as a result of it belonged to a person I had seen on tv numerous instances: President Donald Trump. As he approached me, he prolonged his proper hand to shake mine, positioned his left hand on my shoulder, seemed me in my eyes and mentioned, “I’m so sorry for your loss. Shannon was an amazing woman and warrior.”Need extra articles like this? Comply with THINK on Instagram to get updates on the week’s most essential cultural analysisI nonetheless don’t know what precisely I mentioned in response. The times after my spouse, Shannon Kent, was killed by a suicide bomber throughout a mission to combat ISIS in Syria in January 2019 had been such a blur and, anyway, I’d by no means met a president earlier than.RelatedBut (I’m informed) I thanked President Trump, and I bear in mind he held eye contact with me. And in his eyes, I may see — unmistakably — the identical ache I’d seen within the eyes of different senior leaders who in the end bear the duty for sending women and men to their deaths in fight.Get the assume publication.As we unclasped our palms, the president mentioned to me, “Shannon was the real deal, we are lucky to have people like her willing to go out there and face evil for us.” He saved his arm on my shoulder.Collectively, as we waited for the airplane that may carry Shannon house, we spent one other 20 minutes speaking about my spouse, our youngsters and what a tremendous mom, spouse, and soldier she was. It was clear to me that President Trump actually cared — not simply that Shannon and three others had been killed in Syria, however about who Shannon and the three others have been as folks.Then the president did one thing that I didn’t anticipate: he requested me what I thought of Syria and what we have been doing there. He talked to me — a Inexperienced Beret and a fight veteran, not some skilled on the Pentagon or a assume tank — concerning the knowledge leaving troops in hurt’s manner as soon as ISIS’s territorial caliphate had been destroyed. It was clear to me that he was deeply conflicted about whether or not staying in Syria was worth the lives misplaced — Shannon and her three colleagues — on that day in January.RelatedFollowing that onerous day in Dover when Trump was with my household as Shannon got here house, I attended one other occasion with President Trump and was in a position to (maybe extra clearly) discuss with members of his workers and household about international coverage and Gold Star household points, such because the casualty help officer program and altering Protection Division rules in Shannon’s honor.So, after I learn the nameless allegations this week that President Trump spoke disparagingly of our troops, I knew they merely weren’t true — or have been taken utterly out of context in an effort to damage him earlier than the election.President Trump’s actions have proven our troops extra respect than any president in my lifetime. His use of decisive army pressure solely when completely needed, mixed along with his reluctance to make use of the army as the only device of international coverage, isn’t solely good and sensible, however the signal of utmost respect for the lives of our troops.Since 9/11, America’s all-volunteer pressure has served below two presidents who have been fast to ceremoniously reward our sacrifices with out taking any actual motion to alter the grinding establishment that has change into the hallmark of the International Conflict on Terror. As an alternative of asking arduous questions on what we have been gaining or may ever achieve and taking motion based mostly on these solutions, Trump’s predecessors fought wars with our troops in an effort to construct new governments in Afghanistan and Iraq after 9/11, whereas letting the perpetrator of that terrorist assault escape to Pakistan (whose authorities we proceed to help).RelatedFormer President Obama may have supplied eloquent rhetoric, however little or no modified throughout his tenure from his predecessor, besides that he additionally acquired us concerned within the battle in Syria.Earlier presidents’ help of limitless wars has resulted within the lack of 1000’s of American lives and price American taxpayers trillions of {dollars}, whereas President Trump’s restricted use of army pressure and swift motion when wanted marks a decisive change from that coverage. (Look no additional than what occurred to Qassem Soleimani: When Soleimani ordered an assault that killed an American in late 2019, President Trump instantly ordered a strike that killed him.) And this president has averted getting us into any new wars — one thing his latest predecessors seemingly may both not keep away from or not resist.RelatedAs each a veteran of our nation’s wars and a Gold Star partner, I discover that platitudes about respect for our nation’s troops from leaders and not using a technique to preserve us from moving into pointless or unwinnable wars are the best type of disrespect. Our troops and our nation deserve a president who has our greatest pursuits in thoughts, not simply meaningless platitudes about our service meant to color a rosy image of warfare and destruction.America — and the women and men in uniform — want a president who will ask the arduous questions on why we’re preventing and dying and, sure, whether or not it was or might be worth it, after which will do his utmost to guard America, our troops, its army and its standing as the best preventing pressure the world has ever seen.Associated:Joe KentJoe Kent is a Gold Star husband and a retired Military officer with 20 years of expertise. He sits on the board of Navy Households for Trump.
