Fuente: © Multinational Force Iraq
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/

IRAQ: Service, Commitment, Sacrifice

/noticias.info/ For Americans, November is a month we give thanks for our blessings and express our appreciation for those we love. We pause this time of year to celebrate all that makes our lives fulfilling — our families, our friends, our way of life in this, the richest, freest and most inspiring country the world has ever known. On Veterans Day and this Month of the Military Family, America thanks those who serve, defend, and support not just America's shores but her ideals, and deliver not just her might but her message of freedom.

I have experienced service, commitment, and sacrifice both as a son and as a father. Witnessing my father’s (Retired Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell III) love for our family and his service and commitment to our country inspired me to serve. My mother’s support of my father and her sacrifice to live a life of mobility held our family together at home. The values of military professionals impressed me from an early age. While my father was stationed at his alma mater, U.S. Military Academy, I gained great respect and admiration for the cadets at the academy. Their conduct and commitment to serve further deepened my own resolve to attend West Point and serve.

My family is not unique among American veterans and their families. Veterans, past and present, and those now serving in a civilian capacity uphold the highest ideals America has to offer — democracy, freedom, and the right to dream and build a better future for our children. The men and women serving today leave their families to go to Iraq and Afghanistan, just as past veterans served in Vietnam and Korea, Iwo Jima and the Argonne. American men and women serve not because we like war, but because we love freedom.

Today, the United States is a nation with 25 million living veterans. We currently have 1.4 million men and women on active duty, and they are joined by 1.2 million serving in the reserves. These Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines can spend long periods of time away from their families. We are a military at war, supporting a nation at war. Our men and women serve selflessly and willingly to preserve the freedoms of Americans.

America’s support of the men and women serving today is unfaltering. We witness this support in many forms. One subtle but meaningful way is the smiles and words of thanks from strangers to servicemen and women in uniform. Too often, however, the family members supporting their fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters who serve are not recognized. They did not sign our oath. They did not volunteer. Yet, our families share in our sense of purpose and pride of our mission because of their love for us. Our families make incredible sacrifices as they celebrate first teeth, first steps, birthdays, holidays, graduations, and everyday joys of family without loved ones who are serving far away.

It is during these times when families may wish their Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines chose a more stable and less dangerous profession. While it may be emotionally discouraging to hear of insurgents and terrorists trying to tear apart a country, our families understand the importance of our mission to assist the Iraqis in building a unified, secure, andprosperous country. All 140,000 of us serving here work hard everyday to help Iraqis establish a professional armed force that embodies the core values of service, commitment, and sacrifice. One day, Iraqi servicemen and women will receive the same support from the Iraqi people as American servicemen and women receive today from our country. We thank you for the support you show us everyday, and especially on Veterans Day. Please know that we truly appreciate you and our families especially in this Month of the Military Family. notas_de_prensa_archivo