Soldiers' Stories

As I write, there are nearly 140,000 American men and women risking their lives in Iraq in order to defeat the jihadists and help the long-suffering Iraqi people build a better future. Here are a few of their stories:

-Defenselink, the official DOD Web site, tells how Spc. Jeremy L. Church became the first Army reservist to receive the Silver Star during the War on Terror.

-Defend America, another DOD site, provides the first-hand account of the Marines who repulsed the April 2 terrorist attack on Abu Ghraib prison.

-Greyhawk at Mudville Gazette, a soldier who was himself recently in Iraq, links to several moving posts from military bloggers on Cpl. Glenn Watkins. Cpl. Watkins volunteered to stay in Iraq for an extra year, and now tragically he won't be coming home at all.

When I read these stories, I can only marvel at the courage and dedication of our servicemen and women. I am grateful beyond words for their sacrifices, and humbly offer them my thoughts and prayers.