America’s wars over the past decade have been hard and often frustrating. But this Fourth of July is a good time to salute the U.S. military’s remarkable ability to adapt and persevere against these adversities.
I had a chance to spend the past week with American soldiers in Afghanistan, and it reminded me of the resiliency of U.S. forces, especially the Army, which has borne the heaviest load. The cost has been enormous, especially in lost and damaged lives. Despite that, few institutions in American life are in better shape today than the Army. Our politicians and business leaders should be so adept.
You meet officers and enlisted men who are on their third, fourth, even sixth deployments. They’ve been in the harshest surroundings imaginable, fighting on pitiless terrain and in an often hostile culture. But the soldiers who have made it through have learned and adjusted — and actually thrived on the challenges...
