A Veterans Day Thank You to Today's Military Troops and Our Future Veterans

Today is Veterans Day, November 11, 2009 and to everyone American who has served in the military of the United States, we salute you. The American Armed Forces has been and continues to be the backbone of our country, the spine that strengthens us, the core of our security and the hope of our continued freedoms as a people.

On this Veterans Day, with American troops in so many regions of the world, and fighting deadly battles daily in Iraq and Afghanistan, it behooves every American to deeply ponder our feelings about the American military forces. It's easy to stereotype American soldiers and try to make them fit one political idealogy or the other. They continue to defy those stereotypes.

Watching the sorrow they have faced this week at Fort Hood, Americans should be impressed and reassured by today's modern military troops, who are demonstrating strength under fire, courage of the highest order and a determination to not let one foolish misguided man destroy their corps and their solidarity.

We read they are committed to a mulit-cultural armed forces that respects all religions and all faiths, and we hear their commanders and generals repeat that in interviews. More importantly, we hear men and women of the Muslim faith, the Jewish faith and others speak about how fair they have been treated by military leadership with chaplains of all faiths represented on many or most American bases.

We read how the military leadership trains their corps to respect religious differences and to reject cultural bias. Daily, the leadership of the military strives to maintain a non partisan approach to serving their country. We could learn much from their model of being a citizen in this country. The dignity and composure as individual soldiers and as a group is something to be admired and emulated.

Listening to the President of the United States yesterday denounce the misguided beliefs of the Fort Hood killer and announce to the world that the legacy of the fallen at Fort Hood will endure. In his words, "This generation has more than proved itself the equal of those who have come before. We need not look to the past for greatness, because it is before our very eyes,"

And for this American, that is key. Watching friends and a brother die in Viet Nam was gut wrenching agony. Knowing that a father was badly injured in Korea and damaged for the rest of his life hurt this American in many ways all of her life. Reading about the atrocities suffered by American soldiers in World War II and other conflicts brings tears to our eyes and pride to our hearts. But the simple fact is that today's soldiers are tomorrow's veterans. If they survive.

Happy Veterans Day to every American man and woman serving their country this day and may God go with you whatever your faith. Rest assured that you are the role models and heroes or our current day and our future history. We are so genuinely proud of all of you. And to those who served before, God bless your every memory and may peace be with you all your days.