On Wednesday, we were blessed to have Captain Scott O’Grady speak to our students about his military career and, more specifically, his 6-day experience in 1995 surviving behind enemy lines in Bosnia. Captain O’Grady served in the United States Air Force for 12 years, many of them as a fighter pilot on several missions. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
Captain O’Grady wove together his story of survival and the themes of faith, family, and country. While evading those who sought to kill him, those three values gave him hope. He reminded us of the hope we can have in eternal life through Christ. As well, he reminded us to be proud of our country and to not take lightly the liberties that are afforded to us as Americans through the U.S. Constitution.
At one point, Captain O’Grady quoted President Ronald Reagan saying, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same…” At Vail Christian, when we speak of character as one of our core values, this includes the character trait of patriotism – love of country – and the sacrifice that is necessary to preserve “one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Knowing who our Saints are and who they are becoming, I have great hope for The United States of America.