What more is there to be said about the troops, a perennial Washington Free Beacon man of the year?
According to the RAND Corporation, 2.77 million servicemembers have deployed since the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The Army, the Air Force, the Marines, the Navy: all working in unison to kill America's enemies abroad so we won't have to kill them on our shores.
The United States military is the most devastatingly effective force in the world, ranking first on the Global Firepower power rankings. But our strength in missiles and munitions would mean nothing without our fighting men and women safeguarding the seas and patrolling the skies.
America's enemies have nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide. Consider the fate of senior ISIS commander Abu Sayeed Orakzai, cut down in the heart of Afghanistan by America's military might. Or Sameh Al Marmi, a leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, who was dispatched along with a handful of his cronies via American drone strike. Or Mullah Fazullah, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban who is believed to have ordered the hit on beloved scamp Malala.
Of course, we must take a moment to recognize our fallen heroes. Men like Brent Taylor, a Utah mayor and father of seven deployed to Afghanistan with his National Guard unit. Few reading this will ever have the courage to do what Taylor did—and, fortunately, fewer still will be forced to experience the tragedy of losing a loved one to the enemy overseas.
It's men like Taylor who have made America great through the years. For their service, and for their sacrifice, we are honored to once again name The Troops a Free Beacon man of the year.
