VIEW FROM THE TOP >> Celebrate our country's heritage

By Brig. Gen. Rowayne A. Schatz, Jr.
314th Airlift Wing commander


Today is the 232nd anniversary of American independence. We thank you and the many brave men and women who came before us that have made our freedoms possible yesterday, today and tomorrow. Each of us has proudly worn our uniforms during a time of war, serving our great country fully aware the risks and dangers inherent to the defense of freedom in mind. Thank you for your patriotism and honorable service. Our country needs us, now more than ever, as we continue to fight the Global War on Terrorism.

As our Air Force and country has grown, we find ourselves sharing many virtues our forefathers displayed when they founded our great nation. Courage is perhaps the most evident of these virtues.

In 1776, 56 brave men signed their names to a document that, at that time, was considered a treasonable act. This action set the course for the founding of our nation. The “Declaration of Independence” was, in essence, a bold statement made by a ragtag group of citizens who bravely challenged the world’s most powerful military at that time in history: Great Britain.

Without the courage of the Continental Army, the words of the declaration would have been forgotten by history, but because those early patriots showed courage in the face of impossible odds, our liberty was secured and a standard of freedom established that the world aspires to emulate. If you haven’t read the Declaration of Independence, or need a refresher in American history, I encourage you to take a look at the inspirational ideologies that became the foundation of what is today the 50 United States of America and its territories, which at the time of the Declaration’s signature in 1776, was a meager 13 colonies.

One of the traditions our country enjoys as we celebrate our day of independence, is fireworks. While I encourage you to celebrate this great day in our history, I also implore you to do so safely. A few important safety tips to deliver us through this weekend unscathed are included below. But first, speaking of fireworks, we hosted a town hall on Monday at our Conference Center where we discussed housing updates for residents at Team Little Rock. For more information, check out page three.
As promised a moment ago, safety tips to remember this Fourth of July weekend:

Tip 1: Keep your distance. A minimum clear radius of 30 feet for ground fireworks and 100 yards for aerial fireworks is best. Light your fireworks in a clear open area away from vehicles, buildings, grass or debris. Never use fireworks indoors or inside of glass or metal containers.

Tip 2: Have water close by. In case of emergency, a bucket of water or hose should be ready to extinguish the firework in case something unexpected happens.

Tip 3: Be aware of weather conditions. Even if you are standing a safe distance away from the firework when it is lit, the wind can blow and quickly change your safety radius.

Tip 4: If I’m starting to sound like a broken record, it’s because repetition is a key to learning.

Please do not consume any alcohol while handling fireworks. Fireworks should only be used responsibly; if you are impaired in any way when you use fireworks, you increase the possibilities of misuse and injury to yourself and others. Please enjoy a well-deserved break this weekend, be safe, and come back refreshed after celebrating what we train and fight for every day here at The Rock and around the world: “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” as our forefathers of this great nation envisioned over two centuries ago. Thank you all for your dedication and service!

Combat Airlift!