Having devoted more than half of my life assisting others impacted by drought, famine and civil war serving in numerous United Nations agencies and capacities, (UNICEF, World Food Program, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNJLC) and Non- Government Organizations (NGOs), CARE and Feed The Children, to mention a few, my personal philosophy is that service to others, and choosing, or, being directed to identify a unit of service in one’s lifetime is the rent that we pay on this earth in order to gain entry into heaven when that time comes.
Humanitarian missions in 20 countries categorized as “complex emergencies” is generally a lonely and long distance runner pathway and marathon, where it is just you and the world driven by a single mission and focus - to do as much good as possible with no expectation of reward, recognition or even appreciation from, and by those that you serve whether it be an individual, organization or community.
The reward and sense of accomplishment comes from within; where at the end of the day you’re comfortably able to lay your head on your pillow and go to sleep with a clear and clean conscience that you executed the “Golden Rule” – of doing unto others… the best way possible.
My humanitarian mission and emergency response worlds have been dominated by the homeless, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), refugees, and people impacted by drought, famine, insecurity, disease and hunger where eating edible grasses is the only recourse to survive; where access to health care or basic medicine is unthinkable, unavailable, unaffordable and basically non-existent in such global cross border operations settings.
How blessed and often taken for granted are we of what is available to us in America.
In my emergency response world, there are those that witnessed this morning’s sunrise with no guarantee that they will see this evening’s sunset much less tomorrow’s next sunrise.
The 20 countries served have been environments and missions of dodging bombs and bullets driven by hope, faith and prayer that God would so order my steps to lead me to be in the right place, at the right time - to help someone – for the right reasons regardless of race, religion, color, creed, gender, political persuasion or ideology prompted by God’s commandment that we first love HIM, our neighbor and ourselves in the attempt to render life-saving and life promotion assistance.
Sometimes those right times, places and reasons have been ‘yes’ and other times ‘no’ moments as one witnesses the victim’s spirit laying on the ground before you depart the physical vessel because the needed food, medicine, clean water and urgent health care immediately needed arrived a day or hours too late.
To tell this story is a testament to the power, love and protection of a loving God that ordered my steps and moved me along life’s great chessboard; escaping injury or worse, numerous times, because the obligation to God, country and service to others was then, as it is now, is not yet over.
And, while man, generally will not acknowledge the good that one does, the comfort and joy, at the end of the day, or over the course of a lifetime comes from heaven.
Occasionally, however, a jolt of encouragement and appreciation will come from the least expected sources. That boost of appreciation and recognition recently came from The Daughters of The American Revolution in Tuscumbia.
Over the course of years since my taking residence in Tuscumbia in search of my family tree and ancestral roots my international work became gradually known; thus, additional unit of service opportunities on this side of the great pond, at the community level became a target of focus by way of service with Tuscumbia’s American Legion Post 31 Color/Honor Guard among other community organizations in the area.
When approached by one of the officers of the Daughters of the American Revolution after a Color Guard presentation event last year asking me if I “would mind being nominated to become a Kentucky Colonel,” though surprised at such a request, I was inwardly pleased and honored to be considered for such a prestigious award and title.
Naturally I replied in the affirmative and thereafter thought no more about it.
Months had passed since the initial request and a few weeks ago, when I collected mail from my post office box one envelope caught my immediate attention addressed to “Colonel Thomas McKnight.”
I was unprepared for the contents, a letter of congratulations including a certificate and other literature citing the following:
“The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky has identified you as a person of noteworthy accomplishments. You have been chosen to receive a commission as a Kentucky Colonel in recognition of your service to others. This is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Governor, and we are grateful to have a person of your caliber among our ranks.”
As Covid19 and social distancing had altered events to the extent that meetings had to be postponed indefinitely, one of the officers of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Mrs. Verna Brennan, notified me of receipt of my certificate and mailed it to my post office address received yesterday as there was no positive indication of when the organization was likely to meet given current Covid19 restrictions.
Having opened the package, humbled and appreciative of this prestigious award and recognition of deeds accomplished by my peers on this earth, I have always believed that the most important pieces of information on a person’s headstone is the dash between one’s birth and their death. Thus, it is comforting to know that my dash will be marked by a great sense of accomplishment and service to others and am proud of the earthly recognition by the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Lastly, it is spiritually and symbolically ironic to bear this new title and rank as I have been addressed as “Colonel” and “General” as a nick name by many over the years. At least now - it’s “Official.”
Thus, “FROM SERGEANT TO COLONEL: A LIFE’S JOURNEY BATTLEFIELD PROMOTION” illustrates a life’s highway journey from United States Air Force Sergeant to Kentucky Colonel of which I am humbly appreciative and blessed.
Thank you Daughters of the American Revolution and all the officers responsible for bringing this award to fruition.
