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This month, remember the cost of freedom

By Congresswoman Virginia Foxx

American World War II Army General Omar Bradley said of freedom that “No word was ever spoken that held out greater hope, demanded greater sacrifice, needed more to be nurtured, blessed more the giver, cursed more its destroyer, or came closer to being God's will on earth. And I think that's worth fighting for.”

As Military Appreciation Month, the month of May is set aside as a time to reflect on the profound sacrifices undertaken for the cause of freedom by the men and women of the United States military. May historically has been a month of jubilation and also of somber reflection. May 8—or VE-Day—marks the moment more than 60 years ago when Allied forces declared victory over a Nazi regime which had held Europe under its thumb for five years. At the tail end of the month, Memorial Day stands as a sentinel to recall past sacrifices for the promise of liberty.

In the centuries since the formation of our great nation, close to 2 million members of our nation’s armed forces have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. We owe a tremendous debt to those who have gone before us, who have fought on foreign shores to preserve freedom for the oppressed and to protect the sacred liberties we enjoy in America.

Boone’s own National Guard 1451^st Transportation Company recently returned from a tour of service in Iraq. While attending a welcome home ceremony for the company I was overwhelmed by the accomplishments of the troops coming home that spring afternoon.

The soldiers who take their places in the ranks of today’s military face challenges unlike those of any other era. The enemies of freedom are less easily defined and the battles to preserve liberty are not demarcated with the distinct contrasts of the past. In the face of these new challenges our troops continue to excel.

Our nation’s fighting men and women are working harder, fighting smarter and thinking faster than at any other time. Each day they confront many enemies, whether Improvised Explosive Devices, drug smugglers, religious extremists or suicide bombers. To be blunt—as the military has matured, the enemies of democracy have proliferated and evolved in ways that no one could have foreseen a generation ago.

But our soldiers fight on. Today, our military is home to some of America’s brightest and bravest. As the armed forces’ mission has expanded in an age of globalization, our military men and women have done a remarkable job of adapting to constant change. In the midst of the turmoil of conflict one thing has persisted: our veterans and service members are committed to preserving freedom.

Our often-polarized political environment makes it easy to forget that our troops volunteered to fight on behalf of their nation. This is an incredible statement. We would do well this month to reflect on the meaning of our soldiers’ voluntary sacrifice. They risk life and limb so that we do not have to. They pursue the enemies of freedom abroad in order that we will not confront them at home. In the most basic sense, they enable a way of life which makes the United States a shining light for the world’s oppressed people.

In a culture that idolizes celebrity and ease at the cost of personal sacrifice, we must take pains to recognize the selfless commitment of our fighting men and women. Defying cultural currents, they have declared that there is no cost too high for freedom.

We must respond in kind and demonstrate that there is no cost too high in honoring their sacrifice.

Editor’s Note: Virginia Foxx is a United States Representative from North Carolina’s Fifth Congressional District. You may contact her office toll free at 1-866-677-8968 or e-mail her from her website, www.foxx.house.gov.