I'm in favor of a strong military. I also respect the men and women who serve in the military and civilian services that support our military forces. I feel that a military is necessary both for national defense and as a tool of foreign policy, for good or ill.

Some of my friends are rather contemptuous of the armed forces. They think that only stupid or desperate people join our armed forces, and anyone with any brains would never join. Even my friend Dave, who served in the army, doesn't have many good things to say about his four years.

The armed forces are mostly a reflection of our society, for they are made up of our citizens. The enlisted ranks are a cross-section of society, with some biases to be sure. But they represent the good and bad in our country. For them joining the armed forces may be a way to earn money for college, or a way to get away from normal society, or a way to fulfill a duty to serve our country, or any of a number of other reasons.

For the officer ranks though, it's a little different. Most officers are bright and have a good education which would put them in good stead in the real world. The ones that make a career serving in our armed forces are dedicated. These are the people who want to defend our country, who see it as their duty to be a part of our national defense, who want to be a part of a priviledged team.

These are of course my opinions and there are exceptions to these characterizations. The views I have I've gotten from reading books and listening to these people. Just like everyone else, they have pride in what they do and in being a part of the small part of our population that puts the safety of the whole before their personal comfort.

For the most part I read books on operational strategy and unit histories. War is not a simple thing, and today's soldiers have to know a lot of skills to be effective. Just like any other job, once you find out what people really do you get a better appreciation for their life, their commitment and work ethic.

One thing that we don't do enough as a citizens of a free state is appreciate the comforts and freedoms that are protected by a select few. And I'm talking about police officers, firefighters, all other public services in addition to our armed forces. Maybe it's just my friends and the type of people I associate with, but it seems to me that we're quick to point out the flaws and foibles of these public servants, but we don't praise them for doing their day-to-day jobs in difficult conditions.

And I suppose I'm part of the problem. I'm not an outspoken individual so when I sense a wrong I tend to just let it go. I should do more than just donate money to the appropriate causes, but there is always some excuse, something else that needs to be done first. Still, I do appreciate the people who put their community, their country, above themselves. Thank you.