My Admiration for our Armed Services ~ Part One

September 14

Dear Readers, 

            In an earlier post, I wrote about my admiration for the men and women who serve our country in the armed services.  In particular, I am fascinated by those who come under the umbrella of Special Operations, more commonly referred to as Special Ops, from where I draw the heroes of my books.

  

            With that in mind, I did some research on the history of these elite warriors and thought I’d share some of what I learned with you.

            Did you know that the Army Rangers can trace their beginnings back to the French and Indian Wars?  In 1756, Major Robert Rogers recruited nine companies of American colonists to fight for the British during the French and Indian Wars.

            Rogers appreciated the unique traits and cunning of the American frontiersman.  He understood that these men had skills necessary to survive in the “wilds.”  He used these skills to enhance traditional military training, turning out such heroes as Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox, and Daniel Morgan, founder of Morgan’s Riflemen who fought against the British in the American Revolution.

            Another century saw a new generation of this special breed of warriors, such as Mosby who fought in the Civil War.  Mosby believed that by using highly trained men in extremely aggressive action, he could force the enemy to guard numerous fronts.  Once the enemy had divided its forces, Mosby and his raiders attacked the weakest point and overwhelmed the reduced numbers

            Though these men were never known as Rangers, much of the training and philosophies of present day Rangers evolved from these beginnings.

            Stay tune next week for more about the history of this courageous group of men.

May you know the Lord loves you,
~Jane