As They Really Are

My purpose is not to glorify war. No one should do that, for war is terrible. Rather,the photos and words in this book are intended to show these brave young Americans as they really are: all volunteers; part of the brightest, best educated, trained, led, and equipped military any nation has ever had. They are young men and women with incredible courage, untiring tenacity, and astounding technical and tactical competence.

There is another dimension to these young Americans that often goes unreported—the extraordinary compassion and faith that they display.

I’ve spent more than forty years either in uniform or around those who are, and I’ve never seen so many young men and women so willing to demonstrate their faith—by praying before a mission, leading a Bible study, and kneeling beside a wounded comrade in prayer. Perhaps it’s because so many of them have been through the crucible of modern American culture.

They’ve heard the debates over whether they can pray around the flagpole or say “under God” when pledging allegiance to the flag. They’ve made their decision about what to believe, and they know the peace that comes with a strong faith foundation. Or, as a young U.S. Navy medical corpsman put it, “I know where I’m going and I know why I’m going there.” He wasn’t talking about a trip to the mall.

from the book American Heroes by Oliver North Copyright ©2008. All RIghts Reserved.
Published by B&H Publishing Group, Nashville, Tennessee.