by Steve Schrader

Greatness is earned, not self-declared.

I learned that while serving in the U.S. Air Force. Over 25 years and more than 30 countries of service, not a day went by that I wasn’t reminded of what my uniform represented: the land of the free and the home of the brave. My service taught me that our reputation as a great nation cannot merely be declared, but must be continuously earned through work to uphold American ideals.

Recent actions in our country have caused my wife, Diane, and I to worry increasingly that these very ideals are at risk. Instead of welcoming the “tired huddle masses yearning to breathe free,” many have become fixated on walling them out. These actions and accompanying rhetoric throw a dark tent over Lady Liberty, snuffing out the light of her promise that America is a place of refuge for those fleeing persecution, violence, and upheaval.

My family served too long, sacrificed too much, and lost too many friends defending American ideals to just sit back and watch as anti-refugee rhetoric threatens American values. Diane and I intend to do whatever it takes to lift the dark tent and let the light of America’s commitment to human rights shine once again.

Recently, these sentiments drove us to visit a Syrian refugee camp in Northern Greece. The camp is run by the nonprofit Bridge2, which operates a small free grocery store, a free clothes shop, and a free shoe shop in addition to limited recreation facilities. Our goal for our three weeks of volunteering at the camp was simply to assist as needed and spread kindness.

When we arrived, about 60 families and 20 single men lived at the camp. Halfway through our stay, some two dozen new refugees arrived. They had endured a 25-hour bus ride from the island of Chios, where they had been living for months. They arrived with nothing but suitcases of clothing. After providing them with snacks and a welcome package of food, cooking utensils, and some basic toiletries, we and other Bridge2 volunteers helped the new residents move into their rooms.

Their rooms are cramped. The heat goes out in the winter, and there is no air conditioning in the summer. The bathrooms and kitchen facilities are all communal.

Imagine living in a small dorm room with three or four children for months at a time. Many of the residents have been suspended in such a situation for a year or more. They await approval to relocate to a new country, or, perchance, return to Syria. The end of the war there is a dream to which they continue to cling.

During our three weeks at the camp, Diane and I met refugees from all walks of life: a hospital worker, a builder, a farmer, a juice maker. All were forced to flee their homes because of the brutal conflict in Syria.

They universally told us how beautiful Syria is, and how much they longed to return home. They told us about how before the war, the Sunnis, Shiites, and Christians in Syria were all good friends.

They also spoke of the bombs. Bombs that destroyed homes. Bombs that landed in markets, on people just going about their daily lives. Bombs that in an instant snuffed out the lives of friends and family members.

Despite all that they had been through, the refugees were resilient. They were welcoming and generous with what little they had. Their children still loved having fun and playing games. All continued to hope for a new home and new life.

We were surprised to learn that the camp refugees weren’t looking to the United States for that new life. They talked enthusiastically about many European countries, particularly Germany. None were interested in the United States.

During our military service, Diane and I spent over a decade overseas. We remember that the United States was always where foreign nationals wanted to go. Today, it isn’t even considered. Germany, it seems, has learned the lesson that many Americans have forgotten: acting with bravery, humanity and charity is what makes one great.

The American ethos is embodied by the Statue of Liberty. It is a nonpartisan symbol of America’s commitment to the truths laid out in the Declaration of Independence that all people are “created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” And inscribed at the statue’s base is an oath to accept the “tired, [the] poor, [the] huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

If these core values are important to you, there are many ways you can help ensure that they remain prominent in our polity. Joining Veterans for American Ideals (VFAI) or assisting a local resettlement group are great ways to contribute. Telling stories about the difficult circumstances refugees endure and how they still succeed is another. Probably the most powerful way to join the cause is engaging your federal, state, and local representatives about refugee issues. Anything you do to support a welcoming environment for refugees will make America more secure and stronger by safeguarding the core values that until recently made it the most admired nation on earth.

Diane and I will always remember the bighearted, resilient refugees we met in Greece. Above all, we are compelled to remind our fellow Americans that these people did not ask to leave Syria. Refugees did not wish for their life situation. We must ask ourselves honestly, “How would I feel if it were me?” And then admit to ourselves that, if not for the grace of God, it could be.

Steve Schrader served for 25 years in the U.S. Air Force. He and Diane live in Sagamore Beach, MA, where they are active volunteers with their faith community and also serve as leaders in Veterans for American Ideals, a project of Human Rights First.