December 20, 2006




This holiday season, as at other times in our nation’s history, our Army is deployed and at war. Washington’s victorious Continentals at Trenton, the Blue and the Gray troops eying each other across the Rappahannock River in Virginia, the Doughboys patrolling “No Man’s Land” in World War I, the 101st Airborne Division holding onto besieged Bastogne in World War II, the GIs defending the line in the freezing hills of Korea and the Soldiers guarding Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin were also in harm’s way, far from the safety and comfort of home and family.

This year at Christmas, we have more than 250,000 Soldiers in 75 countries defending the principles of freedom. The Soldiers in Iraqi Freedom, in Afghanistan’s Enduring Freedom and in Operation Noble Eagle are most visible to the eye of the American public, but other Soldiers in Korea, Bosnia, Kosovo and Sinai are also carrying their weight for America.

As I have traveled around the Army this past year, I have seen the same dauntless spirit in today’s Soldiers as I have witnessed throughout my own fifty years of association with our Army. Resolute, professional and selfless service, courage and caring mark the American Soldier of today’s long war.

While training, equipment, weapons and doctrine have evolved across our 230-plus Decembers from frontier duty in the West to frontline duty in Fallujah, the essence of the American Soldier has remained constant.

We are thankful for all our troops and their families this Christmas and most grateful for their service, especially those long separated by the exigencies of war.

We are also grateful to AUSA’s individual members, chapters, and corporate and sustaining member companies for their many and varied activities in strong and caring support of those Soldiers and families, not only at this season of giving but throughout the year.

As we partake of all the joys of the holiday season, we must take time to remember (and remind others to remember) the American Soldiers on duty defending freedom at Christmas—they represent the finest qualities of selfless service and love of country.