A Call to Duty
by Dr. M. Sidney Wallace

I recently had an opportunity to visit with a group of young men who soon will go straight into the teeth of our nation's most
mortal enemy. These young men were taking part in their final training stage to become a United States Army Ranger.

Today's American military is made up of genuinely sincere individuals that want to help keep the American way of life safe for their
families. These young men and women volunteer to serve with no strings attached. As most citizens of the United States know, the American military consistently ranks at the top of opinion polls as one of the most respected segments of the federal government. Army Rangers, Navy Seals, Air Force Special Forces, and the like are the "go to" guys when the feces hits the fan.

Today's military is an all-volunteer force. Each and every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine is there because he or she felt a call to duty and wanted to be there. The one common thread running through these young adult citizens is they are there because they feel the current military actions are the right course for the nation to be taking.

In the winter of 1776, American soldiers were literally freezing to death at Valley Forge, yet they stayed to fight for a dream. In 1941, this nation's military was attacked and had to fight for the literal life of the United States. American men and women volunteered in the millions to help defend their way of life. In 2001, the United States was again attacked by an even more sinister evil enemy, and again American men and women are volunteering to help defend our way of life.

Every individual of our nation is allowed to do as they please with their life because of the United States military. No one is required to pray to any god if they do not want to. Men do not have to grow beards because some cleric said to. No woman must cover herself from head to toe, and she has every right that any man has. Every citizen is considered equal under the law thanks to the United States military men and women. Today's military men and women, be they black, white, tan, red or yellow, represent all that is right and good about our nation.

No mother or father wants to lose their son. No wife wants to lose her spouse. No child wants to lose their father. There is not one single American military man that wants to die. However each and every one has freely volunteered his life to complete the mission of the military. These military men and women made their decision freely and with out being coerced to decide.

Any parent that protests the death of their "adult" child is dishonoring the memory of the individual's decision. Any elected official that says they support the military, but not the wars they fight is spiting on the graves of those that have fought and died in those wars.

Some might say that it is easy for me to sit in my safe office and write these words. Fortunately, I am old enough to understand the consequence of their sacrifices and I would gladly trade places with any man or woman standing guard for the United States of America that I so dearly love. Would you?