Today, 11 November, we pause to thank the men and women of the armed forces. We officially thank them as a nation annually on 11 November, but they deserve a thank you every day.
Lest one not forget the roughly 1.4 million active members of the military all enlist voluntarily. A fact so ingrained it is easy to take for granted.
Stating the obvious, but young men and women voluntarily serve in the United States means those who wish not to serve don't have to serve. This fact should not be taken for granted.
The sacrifice made to serve our country can only be known by those serving, but the tremendous sacrifice is broader than the men and women in uniform. Mothers, fathers, siblings, husbands, wives, and children of military members all sacrifice greatly. I am proud to say that my grandfathers, uncle, and father all served in the Army.
In this country, we can trace the beginning of our democracy to the very founding of our nation. It began with a call to arms, where citizens from all across this country, from towns like Carlisle, and Concord, and cities like Boston ushered aside their peaceful life to fight for the cause of freedom and democracy. As the adage goes, "freedom is not free." It comes at a cost, and sometimes it is paid with the ultimate sacrifice.
Republicans and Democrats are more divided along ideological lines than at any point in my lifetime. Regardless of what side of the aisle you align yourself with politically, we should all agree the men and women of our nation's military deserve our gratitude. Thank you to all men and women who have served, and continue to serve our great country.
Michael J. Mastrullo
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