It's "Our Military" now, not "The Military" any more

Thanks to principled leadership in the Executive and Legislative Branches of Our Government, with a timely assist from the Judicial Branch, the policy decision has been made by the American people, through their elected representatives in Congress, that otherwise qualified Americans are eligible for military service without regard to sexual orientation.

That means that all Americans can embrace the military, beginning by calling it "Our Military." It's Our Military because We are the society which it serves, from which it recruits, and to which Our Veterans, Our Wounded Warriors, and Our Heroes who have made the Supreme Sacrifice, return, all of whom, including surviving family members and caregivers, deserve the full support of every one of us.

With "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" on the way out, it's time for Harvard and Columbia and other elite institutions to welcome the return of ROTC to campus, to embrace Our Military by encouraging and supporting the desires of their students - all of their students - to Serve America in uniform.

No more excuses.

While our All-Volunteer Force will never have exact proportional representation, it is possible for more Americans to personally know enlisted servicemembers and junior officers, those most at risk in combat, if more or all Americans, from all parts of our society, would either volunteer to serve themselves [if healthy and 41-or-under], or, if not personally eligible, encourage their eligible relatives and friends, their circles of influence, to consider serving, even if they have other options.

This would help to unite Our Country.

Don't worry. We haven't forgotten the Yellow Elephants. With the Republican party poised to take over the House of Representatives next month, they still have a national leadership responsibility, shared with the Democratic party, to set a good example for the rest of us.