callousness involving military work. If mobilized in a war, you are in a position that you may have to kill someone else who has never done anything to you personally. You have to have trust in your Commander-in-Chief, that he or she will make the right decisions. You have to believe that war is necessary, particularly the one you find yourself in.

We are a military family. My husband joined the Navy and served for 20 years because he believed that this country has given him a safe place to live and opportunities. He wanted to give back to the people who went before him and sacrificed in order that he/we may have what he does by not letting the results of their efforts die.

So there is, walking hand in hand with that degree of callousness, a certain idealism to it too. You can find yourself in an inner struggle - ideals quite literally pitted against loyalty to country. It can be very challenging that way.

In the end, what stands between the US and those who would like to invade and take over is the military - not politicians, not Presidents, not our allies. It's our military. They deserve more credit than they get.