You Make Pick Up

Chant du Départ posted this under "What is a wingman?"

"Are a thousand unreleased prisoners sufficient reason to start or resume a war? Bear in mind that millions of innocent people may die, almost certainly will die, if war is started or resumed?"

I didn't hesitate, "Yes, sir! More than enough reason."

""More than enough.' Very well, is one prisoner, unreleased by the same enemy, enough reason to start or resume a war?"

I hesitated, I knew the M.I. answer - but I didn't think that was the one he wanted.  He said sharply, "Come, come, Mister! We have an upper limit of one thousand; I invited you to consider a lower limit of one.  But you can't pay a promissory note which reads 'somewhere between one and a thousand pounds' - and starting a war is much more serious than paying a trifle of money.  Wouldn't it be criminal to endanger a country - two countries in fact - to save one man?  Especially as he may not deserve it?  Or may die in the meantime?  Thousands of people get killed everyday in accidents...so why hesitate over one man?  Answer!  Answer yes, or answer no - you're holding up the class."

He got my goat.  I gave him the cap trooper's answer.  "Yes sir!"

"Yes' what?"

"It doesn't matter whether it's a thousand - or just one, sir.  You fight."

--R.A. Heinlein.

The French, oddly concise considering the way their language is structured say it differently, "Un pour tous, tous pour un."

The Rangers include it in their creed, "I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy..."

The US Soldier's creed echos the Ranger Creed.

You make pick up, or you die trying.

PS: If you ever wonder why so many people want Bergdahl punished more severely than he's expected to be...  Just look at that picture.