The comforts of life are less, but you don’t complain. You voluntarily give up some of your freedoms in the pursuit of preserving it for your loved ones. It can’t be an easy task for you, and though it seems thankless what you do is never forgotten.

You symbolize precisely how much we value our way of life. You bear our flag and keep the tenets binding our diverse nation with you. You the men and women of the armed services are never forgotten.

For most of you in Iraq the tour is ending. While most of us have been behind the pullout we know it’s you who have deserved the end more than any of us. Through all the politics, through all the disagreements over intent and credibility there has never been disagreement on your service. We all agree on that.

We knew you would never flinch or let down your fellow soldiers by breaking rank. We knew you would follow through until the crossed lines in Washington finally connected long enough to sign the paperwork to get American service personnel back home and out of there. The future of Iraq will be up to Iraqis to figure out from here on out, but without you that never would have been possible.

Now it’s your turn to resume a normal life. It’s your turn to come home to your families. It’s your turn to catch up on little league; get back to a 9 to 5 and find your way back to the daily grind again. It’s your turn to say hello to friends supportive and still waiting.

It’s your turn to get back to freedom American style and your lives. Nobody knows better what that means than you. Though times here aren’t easy, especially with the economy you’ll find your way and they’ll get better.

Saddam Hussein is gone, stop loss is over, it’s time to replace the sounds of your tour with new ones. All you need to do is come home and heal, whatever that means to you, and start chasing whatever dreams you have. Those who wish to tell their stories have a willing audience, but more importantly a family.

Whatever your choices when you get back you will rejoin us though you were never really apart. You will re-integrate, though you were never really separated. Though you may not know it you were always in our thoughts, in our discussions, in our art, music and prose as well as our prayers. You were always welcome.

Now that you are coming home those prayers have been answered. We remember the fallen, and for those coming home, know we are happy that if there ever was a bullet with your name on it, it missed its mark.

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