Editorial: Committed to the mission

Editorial: Committed to the mission

This year’s Military Times Poll reflects in cold hard numbers what we’ve known from our personal contact with the members of our professional military: It’s made up of tough, determined men and women who shoulder astonishing burdens and keep coming back for more.

Our respondents go to war — a lot. Three-quarters have at least one combat tour. Nearly one-third have two tours. One-fourth had less than a year between their most recent combat tours.

And while less than half think going to war in Iraq was a good idea — and while barely 40 percent approve of the way President Bush is handling that war — they have not lost heart. More than 60 percent of them believe success there is likely.

That’s up sharply from last year, when only half felt that way — a surge in optimism most likely due to the surge of troops in Iraq last spring and summer.

But despite the hardships of deployments and skepticism about the war, the force continues to maintain a high level of morale by any measure.


Rest of this rah rah cis boom bah editorial at: http://www.armytimes.com/community/opinion/army_editorial_poll_080107/