"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."
With those final words written into history, 56 men representing the 13 original American colonies gathered together in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Knowing what was at stake, they openly denounced the British crown and ratified the Declaration of Independence, signifying the birth of the United States of America and American Freedom.
Such a declaration wouldn’t come without cost.
Over the 250 years since that document was signed, scores of men and women, including many Pantexans, have taken up the call to military service by aligning themselves with the pledge made by those men more than two centuries before. But what inspired them to do so? Who better to provide those answers than some of Pantex’s former service members?
"It’s the people that make America what it is," Production Coordinator Devon Stayner said. "I’d like to think my military service played some small part in that."
"I felt like it was a duty I had to give what I could for the defense of the American way of life," Skilled Manufacturing Supervisor Chris Oglesby said.
For Production Technician Marshall Court, enlisting in the Navy was what made him who he is.
"After 9/11, serving felt different, like we were doing something that was bigger and more important than we could have imagined," Court said. "I know the military isn’t the route for everyone, but I do believe it was the best decision I could have made for myself."
As veterans, finding the same purpose in civilian life isn’t always easy, but as they found their way to Pantex, they each discovered a new way to serve.
"It is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
When the colonists vehemently declared their freedom from British rule, they knew precisely what they meant by providing new guards. But before the evolution of the technology available to us now, they couldn’t have known what it would mean for us today.
"The work we do is vital because it establishes a reliable deterrent," Production Technician Apollo Castillo said. "While the ultimate hope is to never have to deploy these capabilities, maintaining our readiness is essential for national defense."
Skilled Manufacturing Supervisor John Morgan agreed.
"My service contribution is a small piece of a larger mission to ensure our nation has a credible nuclear deterrent," Morgan said.
As we celebrate 250 years of American independence, it’s easy to get complacent. Returning to the tenets of what our service men and women fought for is key in remembering what we have.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men 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."
What does "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" truly mean? The answer will probably vary depending on who you ask, but the undeniable truth is that it is something worth fighting for.
"Regardless of what you look like or where you come from, everyone has the opportunity to live the life they want, love whom they choose, and do what makes them happy without being oppressed by a tyrannical government," Morgan said. "With the caveat of as long as it doesn’t deprive others from those same qualities of life."
"It makes you proud to be in a place that is made up of all these different places and people and cultures that have ended up here that have helped shape these rights and liberties that we don't often think about, and that we take for granted," Court said.
"Sometimes it feels like I didn’t do enough. It’s hard to explain," Stayner said. "But I feel that patriotism of being proud to serve."
"I think that it is important to feel a sense of pride and want to stand up and do something," Castillo said. "We’ve only made it this far because of that - people willing to stand up and do something."
A quarter millennia of proud Americans have fought for the rights laid out in the Declaration of Independence. While it hasn’t always been perfect, Americans continue to enjoy the freedoms gained centuries ago thanks in part to brave men and women who chose to serve and for those that find a different way to serve here at Pantex.
"In the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States."
So, whether it be pride, freedom, or a sense of duty to fight for something greater, we celebrate America’s 250th birthday and remember all of those who came before and continue to serve today, both overseas and here at home.
"It will never be forgotten how much Pantex feels like a family and rallies together when times are tough," Oglesby said. "Whether it’s a fire, a deployment, or an unexpected life event, Pantexans are special people. It’s an honor to celebrate 250 years of America together and I look forward to many more."