Best Defense

Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Quote of the day

"Both of my sons died fighting different battles." — Army Maj. Gen. Mark Graham, discussing the combat death of one son and the suicide of another. I sometimes wonder whether anyone outside the world of national security notices the sacrifices made by today’s military. I mean, there’s a lot of lip service. But aside from ...

"Both of my sons died fighting different battles." -- Army Maj. Gen. Mark Graham, discussing the combat death of one son and the suicide of another.

"Both of my sons died fighting different battles." — Army Maj. Gen. Mark Graham, discussing the combat death of one son and the suicide of another.

I sometimes wonder whether anyone outside the world of national security notices the sacrifices made by today’s military. I mean, there’s a lot of lip service. But aside from the great and informed work done by Garry Trudeau in Doonesbury I don’t see much in the popular culture that actually shows an understanding of the emotional toll.

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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