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Hibler: Three things unite all veterans
Following an order to keep it brief, retired U.S. Army Col. Steve Hibler showed himself the good soldier Monday, making some appropriate and poignant statements regarding veterans and Veterans Day during the annual service at 11 a.m. at the Putnam County Courthouse.
Now the Cloverdale town marshal, Hibler spent more than 34 years in the service of the U.S. Army and Army National Guard.
As a modest crowd stood in the cold, morning mist that was set to later give way to snow, Hibler spoke of the three things that tie all veterans together — service, sacrifice and a solemn oath.
Noting there are more than 21 million living veterans in the United States today, Hibler pointed out that service ties them all together, both in the military and in their communities.
“There’s a deep desire and willingness to serve,” Hibler said, noting that these men and women come home and become police officers, firefighters and city and county officials.
He noted that all current full-time officers of the Cloverdale Police Department have served or continue to serve in the military.
“There’s a need to be part of something greater than yourself,” Hibler said.
He then noted the sacrifice in being willing to serve. Not only does military service carry service members far away from their homes, but more importantly, far away from their families.
“Kids wonder where Dad is on holidays,” Hibler said, before taking a moment to thank the spouses, parents and children of service members for the sacrifices they also make.
Finally, the solemn oath might be the strongest bond for all service members.
Hibler noted that the oath to defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic, is for life, not simply one’s tour of duty.
“That oath doesn’t have an expiration date,” Hibler said.
He spoke of his time as the commander of the Ball State ROTC program a number of years ago, when the officers he was training had limited knowledge of the Constitution. Starting a class on the subject, Hibler went to great lengths to change that, noting that when those lieutenants took their oaths, they could practically recite the Constitution.
In his 34 years of duty, Col. Hibler held leadership assignments from platoon to battalion and task force.
A veteran of Bosnia and the Iraq War, Hibler served in Iraq during the 2007-08 surge as chief of staff for the 177th Military Police Brigade and commander of the 193rd Military Police Brigade Liaison Detachment. During that deployment Hibler earned the Combat Action Badge, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.