Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2003 is the American soldier. And what better group to honor than the heroes of our American military. In a very eloquent article–or, at least, what I could read since Time joined the subscription-wagon–Nancy Gibbs writes about why the magazine chose for their 2003 honor what seems like a no-brainer.
For uncommon skills and service, for the choices each one of them has made and the ones still ahead, for the challenge of defending not only our freedoms but those barely stirring half a world away, the American soldier is TIME’s Person of the Year.
And for the critics out there of a military that doesn’t want to be doing what they are doing–defending freedom and bringing it to others the world over–the magazine points to what should be realized by more: our military is completely voluntary.
It is worth remembering that our pilots and sailors and soldiers are, for starters, all volunteers, in contrast to most nations, which conscript those who serve in their armed forces.
So as you give thanks these holidays, be sure to add one for those fighting for your freedom. They’ve chosen to do so, and I can’t think of a more noble cause.