Never Forget

“In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This site, on a hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the city of Washington, D.C., became the focal point of reverence for America’s veterans.” That reads like the opening line of a great novel. Actually, this is the opening paragraph from a document entitled “The Origins of Veterans Day” and it’s produced by the U.S. Department of VeteransAffairs. You can read the entire document at https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/ celebrate/vetday.pdf , and I would encourage you to do so. Although those words don’t open a great novel, they do tell a portion of a story that is still in progress , still unfinished. Yet, it already exposes the worst behaviors of society, and the best behaviors of individuals.

As a child, I heard stories of my uncle, Lee Bryan Lackey, Jr., who fought in World War II. My mother was significantly younger than he, and when he returned home from the war, she didn’t know who he was and hid from him. Beyond that, I don’t know much of his experience, except that my mother told me he would never discuss the war. He didn’t have any stories he wanted to share. By the time I came along, the days of war were long gone, and I only remember him as my uncle L.B. This man who was larger than life, who smoked tobacco from a pipe, and who stood every toddler up in his large hand while someone took a picture.

I often wonder what stories my uncle might have shared if he had chosen to do so. My guess is that they wouldn’t be stories anyone would want to hear. The battles fought and the visions of death are often viewed through rose colored glasses in the movies that allow the viewer to experience the violence from a safe distance. No one truly knows what soldiers, who have no option but to be up close, witness. In the end, I think my uncle really lived through the war twice – the first by physically being there and the second by keeping the trauma to himself and not forcing anyone else to live through it too.

Fortunately, for my uncle and his family, he was able to keep those stories to himself. He was able to live a normal life (whatever that means) and to love and provide for his wife and children. The same isn’t true for all men and women who have served in the military and who have experienced the ramifications of war. As a society, we have routinely failed those people; the ones who have struggled to return to civilian life. However just as we are learning to do better in other areas, we do better now to acknowledge the lasing the trauma of battle, which lead us to implement court systems for alternative resolutions for veterans in need.

The Veterans Treatment Court is part of our Tulsa Alternative Courts Program in cooperation with the Community Service Council. This program helps those who served our nation and who have been charged with a criminal offense. It also helps those veterans who struggle with addiction and/or mental health problems. Veterans Treatment Court is modeled after the specialty drug courts the Community Service Council helped to create in Tulsa, which have proven to be effective in handling criminal cases of substance abusers, restoring

lives and preventing future arrests. Through this alternative court, veterans have a chance to find a path forward. Theeffortsofthiscourtprogramaresupported by the Tulsa County Bar Association and Foundation through the work of the Veteran’s Committee. You can help too by participating in two upcoming events:

On November 11, 2021, the Tulsa County Bar Association will participate in the 103rd Veteran’s Day Parade. This is a time to recognize those who have served in the military and to remind ourselves of the sacrifices that so many men and women have made for our country. Additionally, it allows us to reaffirm our commitment to assisting those community members who have served our country and now need help. We invite all of our members to join in. If you’d like more information, please contact Tami Williams or Julie Rivers.

November 11, 2021 also marks the beginning of an opportunity for all members to support programs for our veterans and get into shape. The Veteran’s Committeeislaunchinga28dayFitnessChallenge. For a fee of $30, you’ll get a great t-shirt and an opportunity to join the challenge to move each of us into better health. Given the fact that this month is Thanksgiving andmorethanasmallamountoffoodwillbeconsumed, a 28 day fitness challenge is probably a good idea for us all. As an added bonus, there is no requirement for the level of activity. Take a walk, take a hike (and not just because opposing counsel told you to), and generally get your body moving.

As we honor our veterans on the 11th and gather to remember the reasons we are thankful on the 25th, I encourage each of you to take a minute this month and look around you. We are surrounded by individuals who gave their time, their efforts and for some, their lives, to support our country. Regardless of political ideologies, we can all honor the willingness of an individual to dedicate him or herself to something that helps the whole of society. Let’s honor that dedication. Let’s honor that level of selflessness and let’s work to make the continuing story tell more about society’s ability to learn and to do better.

To all of the service men and women who are part of the Tulsa County Bar Association, we thank you and we honor you this month. And, to all of our members, this Thanksgiving we wish for you a time of rest and reflection and an opportunity to remember all that we can be thankful for.