Nov 29, 2009 By Jacob Davis 2 min read

We recently celebrated Veterans Day, honoring all those who have served the nation since its inception. It was the day to recognize what we all take for granted each and every day – that without those that have served and those that are serving, we would be considerably less secure in our daily lives.

Now that doesn’t mean I’m going to rave about our military – frankly, I think its bloated, inefficient, and the largest ego booster a country could ever possess – but I will sing praises to the troops.

I may not agree with what our country has had them do (or has them doing) but I will never wish anything but the best for those willing to sacrifice their own possessions, time, and even lives for a flag.

Some people misconstrue that sentiment – Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck make it seem that if you don’t support or agree with current military strategies, you’re effectively announcing that you don’t care about the soldiers.

That is blatantly false.

No, I don’t find our excursions into Iraq to be politically smart, nor do I find them morally right, but I don’t make those decisions. Neither do those in the armed forces. They are there to serve our country, regardless of what that servitude means to our leaders. And so I support them in their quest to truly make a difference.

And they, our troops, do make a difference. The world would be a vastly different place without them. Our lives would be something warped and strangled compared to what they are. And so I celebrate all of the United States’ troops. I thank you. I hope for you. And to my friends in the military – I offer you love and I salute you.

A graduate of Brownsville Area High School, Jacob Davis is a student at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.