The 4th of July is upon us and it’s a time when Americans celebrate the birth of the greatest nation on the face of the earth. Yes, the GREATEST nation on the face of the earth. We may not be as good as we used to be, but the glory of this country is that we, the people, have the power to right its course. Ranger Up has a few new shirts I wanted to point out. Click on the images to check out the site and order one if it suits you.

As a Soldier, I took an oath to support and defend and the Constitution of the United States. Unlike other nations, I don’t defend a political party or fight for any man. While I may have political leanings, they do not affect my service and loyalties to this country. Ranger Up has a new shirt available for a special price at pre-order that affirms this belief.

As I said, the United States is the greatest country on the face of the planet. I’d even go so far as to say this nation is the greatest in the solar system! Granted, I haven’t visited Mars yet but I have been to Afghanistan and it can’t be much different. We are not perfect and no country is. But we are the MOST perfect of any nation in my opinion.

Not long ago I was interviewing for a position within the military. During the formal interview portion with senior leaders I was asked to rank five entities by importance to me. They were God, Family, Country, Army, Self. Personally, I think families and God are intertwined, but my country is very valuable to me. At church on Sunday, I even joked that the 4th of July is my second favorite holiday – right behind March 2nd, Texas Independence Day! I don’t apologize for being an American!! Never will. And neither does Ranger Up.

I would probably categorize my love for my country as almost unhealthy. While it’s not a blind loyalty, it’s an unwavering one. I think one can love their country and still criticize some of its shortcomings. I have the same feelings about the Army. I’ve always tried to counsel junior Soldiers that I’ve heard complain about their unit and talk about getting out of the Army. I tell them that the Army is comprised of a number of different people and no one unit is like another. Good and bad leaders come and go. We can learn from both and become better leaders ourselves through watching them. My mantra in dealing with bad leaders is “it’s a temporary pain.”

I feel the same about our country. We’re hurting right now, but I know it’s a temporary pain. Unlike in many countries, we have the ability to change the direction every two years (four years for the executive branch). Many people may be discouraged, but remember that the pain is temporary. I love me some ‘Merica and you should too!