Too often, the press focuses on sports stars and entertainers for their contributions. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good touchdown just as much as any man (assuming its my team and not the other guy’s team) and I am glad certain entertainers have made enough money to adopt underprivileged kids from third world countries. In neither case however is there anything really heroic about what they have done.
Heroism to me is waking up at 3 AM and putting on a uniform so you can stand a watch. You don’t know if this is the watch where an enemy will come sneaking up to your post and try to put a bullet in you. Or maybe a terrorist will drive up to your checkpoint with a truckload of explosives designed to kill you and al of your comrades. You might be in a plane flying over hostile territory on a mission to deter another country from robbing freedom from innocent people. Your ship might be fighting its way through a typhoon as it patrols to keep the sea lanes open. Or your cutter may be approaching yet another unflagged vessel that is filled with drugs and men who will shoot to protect them.
As long as man has been around, there have been other men who have tried to take freedom and liberty away from someone else. Our country, the United States of America was founded on the idea that men and women should have individual liberty and freedom. It is the unbroken line of men and women who have put their hands in the air to swear the oath to protect her that have ensured that freedom lives. It is the members of the Armed Services that stand between you and the despots who hate you for the very freedom you enjoy.
We owe them everything for that service.
On this day, and every day, I salute the heroes of the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
Let Freedom Ring
Mister Mac
theleansubmariner 
Excellent article for the troops! Hats off to you!