Thanks for your article.  I was in the AF for 20 yrs from 1973 to 1993 and never had to leave the states except for a year in Korea in 1979.  I try to never pass a veteran of WW II, Korea, Vietnam, Irag or Afganistan with a handshake and a heartfelt thank you.  I'm a veteran and proud of it but these guys are my heroes and I want them to know that someone respects and appreciates them.  I think in the end thats all most vets want is a quiet and a little respect.  ~BOB, USA

My family has fought in combat for this country in combat since my Italian immigrant great-grandfather fought in the Spanish-American War in 1898. We have fought in WWI (my grandfather), WWII (my father), Korea (my uncle), Vietnam (myself), The Gulf War and Somalia (my younger brother. Now the fifth generation, my nephew and my son, serves. My nephew is a helicopter crewman who has served in Afghanistan four times. My son, the first commissioned officer in our family, is a USAF pilot who has served one tour over Afghanistan and three over Iraq. He completed the SERE training and is one of the few officers to have organized and led a successful escape. I am very proud of both of them. I will fight anyone who denigrates their service. Critics have a right to oppose the war. They do not have the right to slander those brave men and women who fight it. There are people in the service who disgrace their uniforms, but the vast majority serve honestly, bravely, honorably, and well. Thank you for an excellent column.
~ Patrick, Phoenix

Mr. McCullough--I usually enjoy your articles, but this one especially hit home.  You see, I'm a retired Naval Aviator and among other things went through SERE training in 1972.  I still have very vivid memories of that week, and you put it all very well.  I also make it a point to thank military people today, and I thank you for so eloquently helping others recognize their service.
~ Allan T. Goldberg/CDR, USN (ret)

"Semper Fidelis" "Always Faithful" - Thank you Kevin, for that story. We see troops together quite a bit in the Atlanta airport - going and coming - on their way to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain, or Kuwait. They always appreciate the thanks and they never hear it enough!
~Teri/Georgia

Kevin, that was very moving. Yes, the US military deserve all the thanks we can give them for what they do in their duty to our country. Very brave and giving men and women.
~ Wanda/Oregon

Great column Kevin! during my time as a govt contractor i've had the pleasure of working closely with soldiers and i make sure i stop to thank them for their service and sacrifice every chance i get!
~Barry/Georgia

Very nice. Your article once again reminds me how the left fights the decent, and rarely the indecent. However, this is nothing new. During the Cold War, the left didn't fight the Communists, they fought the anti-Communists. Today, they devote much more of their time to fighting us and our efforts in the GWOT than they spend fighting the Islamists.
~Jed/Washington DC