Brotherhood: They say that if you are willing to risk your life for that of another and, more importantly, you are willing to entrust your life to that of another, a special bond is formed. It is seen in many disciplines; law enforcement, military, and the fire service quickly come to mind when thinking of this special bond. It’s called Brotherhood. But that’s just a name. You see, this special bond transcends the cultural obstacles of gender, race, religion and all of the socially constructed barriers.
Throughout my 30 years in emergency servitude, I have thought about “Brotherhood” quite a bit. I have experienced what its like to completely place my life in another’s control and I have felt the weight of having another’s life in my control. To say I’ve lived through the experience to serve a Brother and be served by a Brother is an accurate statement. I understand what it means, because I have felt the unwavering commitment first hand and have seen this same commitment by others. So what is this “Brotherhood”? What does it mean to me? When did I first discover it? Clearly we saw it revealed to the public during the attacks of 9/11. Firefighters, that were off duty, retired and injured, doing everything they could to get through the burning rubble and debris. Knowingly placing themself into harm’s way. Not for glory, not for fame, not for money and not for recognition; but because their Brother needed them.
I first experienced Brotherhood when I was very young. I saw what it meant to sacrifice for another and the notion became deeply ingrained in my being. A brother was in need when she was injured — off duty — and without even asking for help from a Brother, they arrived. Her yard was manicured with the precision of eight “Type A” over achievers; all work shifts were covered, therefore, no interruptions of pay occurred. More importantly, there was no questions or expectations of “pay me back later.” Rather, it was Brothers paying it forward to help out, fill-in and assist a Brother in need.
When my 12 year old became sick and was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, I experienced the support of my Brothers first hand. This time it was my shifts that were covered, my housework taken care of and my family’s meals delivered hot and fresh — all with no expectations of remuneration. My child is now 5+ years cancer free, and I truly do not know how we would have survived without the love and endless support of my own Brotherhood.
The best part of being a part of the Brotherhood is that no one has bias towards anyone. We put aside any differences, squabbles or petty grievances when the time comes to step up, whether at work or when a Brother is in need. There is much that is expected of you in someone’s time of need, but with that expectation brings trust. Knowing that if I get in a bind I have someone — a bunch of some ones really — that has my back. The brotherhood has many aliases, for law enforcement it is the thin blue line. Each line has meaning; the top black line represents the public (those they are sworn to protect), the bottom black line represents criminals; law enforcement (the blue line) is what stands between the two - a silent sentinel of safety. Within this thin blue line, lies a brotherhood.
The United States military has the unique ability to define Brotherhood, not in words, but in actions. Each and every day the exceptional men and women who wear the uniform sacrifice for country, for each other and for those who cannot defend themselves. All give some but some give all by making the ultimate sacrifice. We celebrate their honor by calling them heroes. If you ever have a chance to visit Arlington cemetery in Virginia, near the heart of our Nation’s capital, I highly suggest you visit, taking time to contemplate what each grave represents. When I visited I thought about the price someone pays to be buried there. A courageous soldier’s service to our country is taken to the extreme and with that, is epitomized with the old guard patrolling the tomb of the unknowns. As the guard’s duty is to keep a constant vigil over these soldiers that have made the ultimate sacrifice of life and identity.
Few can give a better meaning of Brotherhood than Mark Bowden. Beautifully stated in the 2001 film Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War: “When I go home, people ask me, ‘Why do you do it? You some kind of war junkie?’ I won’t say a word. Why? They won’t understand. They won’t understand why we do it. They won’t understand it’s about the men next to you… and that’s it. That’s all it is.”
Brotherhood is all about the person who’s got your back, who’s back you’ve got…and that’s it. That’s all it is. But its more than enough.
Submitted by team Plugged-In.
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