"For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn."

Whatever your political persuasion, I think that you can agree with these words made this afternoon by our new President. The lone soldier from the 124th Pennsylvania standing his post at Antietam recalls for us the sacrifice made on that field by another generation of Americans who gave their all.

"As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all." Excepts from President Barak Obama’s Inauguration Speech, January 20, 2009.