In Defense of Dragons
Why the Dragon Is the Best Non-Partisan Advocate Symbol
I have always loved dragons.
Not the cartoon villains. Not the chaos monsters. The guardians. The ancient, steady, watchful creatures that stand between what is valuable and what would destroy it.
Recently, I found out something that made that love feel less whimsical and more personal.
Jay was part of Operation Dragon Strike in Afghanistan when he served with the 101st, 2/502 HHC.
Of all the names in all the operations across all the years, that one stopped me.
Dragon Strike.
It felt symbolic in a way I cannot quite explain. Strong. Purposeful. Protective. Not flashy for the sake of flash. Strategic.
And it reminded me why dragons are the perfect symbol for advocacy.
Dragons Are Not Partisan
Dragons do not belong to a party.
They show up across cultures and continents. In some traditions, they represent wisdom and balance. In others, they guard sacred treasure. In modern storytelling, they are powerful protectors who endure hardship and still rise.
They are ancient. Older than political platforms. Older than campaign slogans. Older than culture wars.
That matters.
When you work in military and veteran advocacy, your symbol cannot signal red or blue. It cannot imply ideology. It cannot alienate the very people you are trying to persuade.
Dragons do not carry campaign signs.
They guard what matters.
Dragons Guard Treasure
In legend, dragons protect hoards of gold and artifacts.
In real life, the treasure is not mythical.
It is earned benefits.
Health care access.
Compensation.
Survivor equity.
Caregiver support.
Housing stability.
Workforce opportunity.
These are not symbolic riches. They are structural lifelines.
An advocate is not a dragon because she wants gold.
She is a dragon because she guards it.
Strength Without Division
One of the hardest balances in advocacy is this: be strong without becoming partisan.
You can demand accountability without endorsing a party.
You can call out systemic failure without attacking individuals.
You can push for reform without burning bridges.
Dragons represent that kind of power.
They are formidable but not political. Fierce but not tribal. Protective without being petty.
In a world where even basic symbols get co-opted into factions, that neutrality is powerful.
Fire With Discipline
Dragons breathe fire. But they do not breathe it randomly.
Fire can destroy.
Fire can also refine.
In policy, sometimes systems need to be confronted. Broken structures need to be exposed. Inequities need to be burned away.
But that fire has to be disciplined.
Strategic oversight.
Focused hearings.
Precise reform.
Measured accountability.
Not rage for performance. Reform for outcome.
The dragon is not chaos. The dragon is controlled power.
Personal, Not Theoretical
When I think about Jay and Dragon Strike, I do not think about mythology.
I think about service. I think about commitment. I think about the reality that military families carry missions long after the headlines fade.
Advocacy is not abstract to me.
It is guarding what was promised.
It is standing watch over policies that affect real households. It is protecting families from the slow erosion of bureaucratic indifference.
That feels very dragon-like.
Steady. Watchful. Protective.
Why Dragons for March
March is transitional. Winter to spring. Dormancy to growth.
It is the right time to talk about rebuilding structures, strengthening foundations, and guarding what matters.
Dragons symbolize resilience without partisanship.
They represent protection without performance.
They remind us that strength does not require a party label.
And if we are going to spend this month talking about budgets, oversight, spouse stabilization, and structural reform, then we might as well do it under a symbol that transcends the noise.
Dragons are not political.
They are principled.
And if you are going to guard treasure, hold institutions accountable, and breathe a little fire when necessary, you might as well choose a symbol worthy of the job.
