This past week we saw a nation tip the balance of power in a civil and thoughtful manner. Regardless of your politics, the war in Iraq has been front and center and we all have our own opinions about how we think it should handled.
One of the bonds we share as Americans is our support for our troops and the sacrifices they make. As a vet myself I am proud of our military and have seen it change since my time in boot camp through my 8 years of service to the point at where we are today. There is no other group of individuals that I can think of that can dig down deep to get the job done. The price of failure is just too high.
The men and women of the armed forces are loyal to this nation not a political party. Their service to this country is measured by the their willingness to put themselves in harms way in order to defend those of us so fortunate to lead the lives that we lead. Regardless of the popularity of this war our service members willingly serve and do it for a variety of reasons.
It saddens me when some attempt to make political hay out of their feelings for the conflicts that we are in, both for and against. No one has a monopoly on patriotism. No one is 100% right. We have rights that some countries would literally die for. We have them because, regardless of political affiliation, we find a way to coexist even when we disagree.
Our military is the best example that I can give that this nation, regardless of our popularity around the globe, offers everyone the opportunity to succeed. There are some very smart people in our military and their drive and integrity are the backbone of our society.
I am not a college graduate but my time in the service enabled me to have a career that has allowed me to live comfortably and raise my family without the concerns that others may have. There is no guarantee of success that is strictly on me, but the military enabled me to have my shot and I have run with it.
I think about how lucky I am to have what I have because of the military and because of that I am always mindful of my humble beginnings. I am thankful that there are those who are willing to put themselves in harms way so that we may have all that we do.