As 2014 draws to a close, let us once again honor the incredible sacrifice and valor of the United States Armed Forces.
Whether patrolling the mountains of Afghanistan, battling a deadly disease in Africa, or returning to Iraq, our military once again demonstrated why they are the best of us. Facing steep budget cuts, they make no excuses. They fight for freedom.
It is a time to mourn those who never came home: 55 U.S. service members were killed in Afghanistan this year, as well as three in Iraq.
It is also a time to remember tales of heroism. Former Army Sgt. Kyle White, a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor this year, risked his life to help his fellow warriors when they were ambushed in Afghanistan. After he was knocked unconscious by a rocket-propelled grenade, White came to and administered first aid to a wounded soldier nearby who survived. He strived in vain to save others by running across enemy fire.
Retired Marine Cpl. William "Kyle" Carpenter also received the nation’s highest military award this year. Carpenter jumped on a grenade during a firefight with Taliban insurgents, protecting another Marine from the blast. He was declared dead on arrival at a field hospital, and nearly died again at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
"The enemy killed me. I came back, ran a marathon, completed a mud run, and jumped from a plane. I won't ever quit. I am just getting started," he said.
The U.S. Armed Forces are, and always will be, a Washington Free Beacon man of the year.
