WHY HEROES VOLUNTEER

Each and every month thousands more brave young men and women are volunteering to fight a war they supposedly can't win against an enemy that supposedly doesn't exist for a President who supposedly isn't smart enough to be President and who supposedly lies to his troops and his country about the enemy so his friends can supposedly get rich off of the war (that we are supposedly losing).

The United States Armed Forces met or exceeded recruitment goals every month for 2006 in spite of constant negative media coverage, constant degrading comments from Democrats and a constant barrage of attacks from the enemy designed to destroy morale and support.

"The Army, which is bearing the brunt of the work in Iraq, did the best. It signed up 6,485 new recruits in November compared with its target of 6,150 - meaning 105 percent of its goal.
According to figures released Tuesday by the Pentagon, the Navy signed up 2,887 recruits last month, or 100 percent of its goal; Marines signed up 2,095, or 104 percent of its 2,012 target and the Air Force signed up all 1,877 it was seeking."

According to Democrats (like Charley Rangel), new recruits only join because they have no other choice due to poverty or race, but according to the data and according to the men and women who are doing the volunteering, it is for other reasons entirely.

This story is more typical of the type and character of those serving us in the military today.
"Among the youngest processing through the Baltimore MEPS July 31 was 17-year-old Bethany Wade, a high school student from Lewes, Del. Wade still has a semester of classes ahead of her before she graduates five months ahead of the rest of her senior class, but she had far more than senior proms and yearbooks on her on her mind. She has her heart set on becoming a Marine."

"Many of the recruits sitting alongside Wade at the Baltimore MEPS were fresh out of high school. Some, like 19-year-old Corey Robinson, of Boonesboro, Md., said he knew since he was a child that he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the Army.

If all goes as planned, Robinson will head to infantry, airborne and Ranger training after his Basic Combat Training. He said he’s excited about the opportunities ahead. “I’ll get the educational benefits for college when I get out, but I also get to serve my country,” he said."

Recruits are coming into the military with higher than average education which refutes undermining comments made by Democrats like John Kerry that our military is comprised of the uneducated and the poor.

In fact, the opposite is true. "Military-wide, more than 60 percent of all recruits come from the top half of the aptitude categories, and more than 90 percent are high school graduates, David S. C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said during a Pentagon news conference in July.

“Typically, we see an above-average high school graduate” processing through the Baltimore MEPS, Station Commander Lt. Col. Robert Larsen said.

Army Master Sgt. Mark Schoeppner, an Army liaison with the station, bristles at talk that military standards have dipped. “There’s a perception that we will allow anybody in, and that’s absolutely wrong,” he said"

Why do they volunteer?
For a variety of reasons, but all have one common belief. They want to serve their country, they believe in the goodness of America and that it is worth fighting for. They believe that by fighting terrorists in Iraq, they are making us safer... and they are right about all of the above. They join because of their patriotism, feeling of responsibility and honor. Money and benefits are listed as extras, not the primary reasons as some detractors claim.

God Bless these brave young American hero's who volunteer themselves to fight and perhaps die so that the rest of us can live in peace for generations to come.

THANK YOU to each and every one of you and your families back here at home for the sacrifices you make for the rest of us.
In spite of zero media coverage of this fact, many Iraqi's DO see America as liberators and ARE grateful for American presence in their country.
Those opposing the effort in Iraq need to look at the photo above and ask themselves what would happen to that little boy with the American Flag held high if America "cuts and runs" on him?
What would the Islamic throatcutters do to him for daring to dream of freedom?
Then tell us you still want to cut and run.

Those that claim we are creating more terrorists by fighting in Iraq need to look at the numbers which show the opposite. It is the terrorists who are "creating" more Americans to come and kill them every time they blow something up or attack a US soldier in Iraq or elsewhere.

Keep fighting the fight, keep winning the war and remember that there are many of us back here safe in our homes that understand and appreciate your gift to your country and the world.
God Speed.

-red