Remembrance, Veterans, ROTC, and Libraries

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
 Loved and were loved, and now we lie
 In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
 In Flanders fields.

These familiar words by World War I war poet John McCrae are haunting and poignant. While associated with the horrors of the trench warfare that characterized much of World War I, these words still challenge us to honor their sacrifice as well as continue to strive for peace.

One of my favorite World War I poets, Siegfried Sassoon, penned these incredible lines in his poem, Dreamers. They still ring true today.

Soldiers are citizens of death's grey land,

Drawing no dividend from time's to-morrows.  

In the great hour of destiny they stand,

Each with his feuds, and jealousies, and sorrows.  

Soldiers are sworn to action; they must win  

Some flaming, fatal climax with their lives.

Soldiers are dreamers; when the guns begin

They think of firelit homes, clean beds and wives.

I see them in foul dug-outs, gnawed by rats,

And in the ruined trenches, lashed with rain,  

Dreaming of things they did with balls and bats,

And mocked by hopeless longing to regain  

Bank-holidays, and picture shows, and spats,

And going to the office in the train.

War today, like that of yesterday is horrific, and none comes away from it unscarred. While poetry may seem, to some, an odd response to war, both World War I and II saw many notable poets. They used poetry to protest, to express angst, sorrow, and anger. My generation responded to the Vietnam War through song; songs like Fortunate Son (Credence Clearwater Revival), Gimme Shelter (The Rolling Stones), Draft Morning (The Byrds), and Cruel War (Peter, Paul, and Mary) to name a few. These and others ignited a generation of protest against the war.

In the rush of everyday life it is easy to forget the sacrifice and service of our veterans. They often become invisible to us, even when they are part of our family. Even though I never served in any branch of the armed services, my family is heavily steeped in military service. My father was a World War II Canadian veteran who fought in all the major battles of the liberation of Holland. His brother Nick and three of his cousins all served in WWII, two of the cousins dying in France. Two of his younger brothers all so served, one of them in the Korean War. Likewise my Father-in-law, served as medical supply coordinator, his two brothers served as navigator in a bomber and a forward scout, and all three of my wife’s brothers were also in the service; one in the DMZ in Korea, and one in Vietnam. So much impact: much to remember and be thankful for.

With more than 20 million veterans in the US, they are very likely to be our relatives, our neighbors, our classmates, and hopefully our friends. There are many veterans on our college and university campuses; some visible, others invisible. Some schools do an admirable job in providing a suite of services for veterans. While their needs are similar to other student needs, they have their own set of needs. They are typically older, off campus, and not necessarily involved in typical college life. Many have families and are also working full time. Many have health or mental health needs stemming from their years of service. Campuses often have a veteran services office which provides a strategic entry point for libraries. Libraries should partner with veteran services to understand veterans’ information needs and to develop services tailored to their needs. Veterans should be able to easily locate services for their needs on the library website as well as a librarian should be assigned as a point of contact so veterans know that there is a real person assigned to supporting their needs.

ROTC programs, which faded for a while on some college campuses, are back in force and it is not uncommon to see students in uniform walking across campus, in the libraries, labs, and classrooms. Some people may object to having a military presence on campus, so it is important to make these students feel welcome on campus and in our libraries. Libraries should strategize on how they provide services for ROTC students. Their schedules are busier than many students as they are usually carrying a full academic load and also spending many additional hours on their ROTC training courses and military drills. Libraries may need to add military science collections and appropriate databases to support these students. Another strategy to consider would be to host programs that allow veterans and ROTC students to share their experiences with the larger campus co