I first joined the Air Force Reserve in November 1966, after graduating from medical school. I was called to active duty before I could complete my surgical training, in December 1972. I completed my residency in the Air Force and was released from active duty in August 1977, activated my reserve appointment, and have served ever since. I was called up for Gulf War I, which nearly ruined me financially, yet I still serve. At my age (65), if I were called up again it would bankrupt my solo private practice as a general surgeon and trauma surgeon, and yet I have not chosen retirement.

Rangel and Kerry are arrogant, ignorant fools, projecting their outmoded ideas on our current military. The officers and enlisted personnel I have worked with over the years are highly educated, exceptionally talented men and women, and I am proud to have known them all.

Stuart Settle describes a young man of his acquaintance who aspired to serve his country:

Seven years ago I began the study of ancient Greek and found a tutor who had, in addition to me, a 14-year-old boy who was a home scholar. This kid aspired to become a Navy SEAL; it was his life's ambition. I'm a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and did my best to interest him in an officer program like the Academy or Naval ROTC, where his ambition could be channeled into a commission and the opportunity to be a leader as well as a warrior.

Joel has an IQ of 142 and went on to complete the entire high-school curriculum at age barely 16, including calculus, advanced-placement physics, Latin and Greek. He ended up enlisting in the Navy with his parents' permission the day he turned 17, because he thought four years in college was too long to be away from where the action is. Not surprisingly, he graduated first in his class from boot camp and went on to San Diego for SEAL training.

I later discovered in talking with some West Point friends that Joel is typical. While there are not enough young men like him to completely staff the combat-arms branches of our military, there are enough of them to be well represented. If there were only one place in the U.S. where a young man could go to enlist as an Army Ranger, Marine, SEAL, etc., and that were in Alaska, and one had to crawl across ground glass to get to the recruiting sergeant, there is a cohort of young men who would happily undertake the experience. We as a nation are truly blessed to have them.

Arnold Haake passes along an essay that his stepson, Nicholas Carr, wrote for school. "The teacher asked the class to write about someone whom they admire and why," and here is what Nicholas wrote:

I look up to my brother, Karsten, because he exhibits many admirable character traits, including citizenship, courage, responsibility and kindness. He inspires me to be a better person by the way he leads his life.

Karsten graduated from United States Military Academy at West Point in 1994 and he served his country for the next seven years, mostly overseas. During this time he earned a M.B.A., his pilot's qualification to fly helicopters, and the rank of captain. He resigned from active duty in August of 2001 and decided to try civilian life.

As the Army processed his request, America was attacked by terrorists based in the Middle East, and the United States of America found itself at war. Despite the fact that he had fulfilled his military commitment, Karsten immediately joined the National Guard. To me, signing up for the National Guard would mean his pilot's qualification to fly Black Hawk helicopters would stay valid but that he would be at risk to be called to go fight in Afghanistan or Iraq. I was scared for him. However he told me it was his duty. His country might need his skills. I thought that not only showed his citizenship and patriotism, but also exhibited bravery and courage.

Five years past, Karsten became a husband, a father and a major in the Army National Guard. Last February he received orders to deploy to Iraq. When he called to tell us that by September he would be in Iraq for at least 18 months, I asked him not to go. Karsten calmly said, "Nicholas, there are kids like you in Iraq that want to be able to walk down their streets and rent a PlayStation game, without the fear of dying, so I have to go. Americans are willing to help other countries establish democracies." So while I was afraid for him, he told me it was his duty, that by helping the Iraqis, he was also serving his country and helping to preserve freedom and democracy.

On September 11, 2006, he arrived in Iraq, exactly five years to the day after the United States of America was attacked and a month before his daughter turned 2. Not only am I proud of my brother's courage and patriotism, he also retains his sense of humor. In his first email to us he wrote:

Living accommodations are nice, but then the Army has this magical ability to lower expectations. They let you sleep on the forest floor and then they give you a bedroll and you think you have it made. Then at some point you graduate to tents without floors and you think to yourself, "Why do I need to buy a house--this is great." Then they give you a cot to sleep on and maybe a plywood floor. Your feet never get dirty and you swear to yourself that you'll do this for 20 years because they treat you first class. In Kuwait they gave us an air-conditioned tent which made it like sleeping at the Ritz. The smell of suntan lotion and sand made it feel like Miami without the water and palm trees. Finally here in Balad we get small trailer rooms with floors, air conditioning and heating. They even have TV hookup and power. I only think to myself "I get paid to do this--sweet!" This is like a five-star resort. It's the biggest secret in the world. I better not tell anyone or else everyone will want to come to Iraq.

Well, somehow I don't think that is the case, but he is my hero. I love him and miss him a lot. I hope that one day I too can graduate from West Point and serve our country as proudly and bravely as my brother, Maj. Karsten Haake, U.S. Army, currently in LSA Anaconda, Balad, Iraq.

This comes from a reader who prefers we not use his name:

If you're looking to add to your list, I'm a 39-year-old structural engineer with a bachelor's degree in physics, a master's degree in civil engineering, and an M.B.A. At age 36 I obtained an age waiver and two medical waivers to join the active Reserve component of U.S. Navy's Civil Engineer Corps, whereupon I was assigned to a Seabee battalion. My battalion went to Iraq and left me behind, deeming me too green at the time to be of use in theater. After their return, due to civilian work constraints I eventually had to go into the Inactive Ready Reserve, where I remain. However, if needed, I'm subject to recall.

I would like to see old Big Mouth Rangel stand up in front of my battalion and tell those folks how stupid they are. Or, for that matter, see effeminate Garry Trudeau stand up and tell us of our cowardice or regale us with tales of his exploits in-country with the Special Forces in Nam. With all his sanctimonious finger-pointing I can only assume that he enlisted during the Vietnam War, right? Sheesh! What nerve!

One of my fellow CEC officers (also a licensed professional engineer) signed up after me and did go to Iraq. (He had prior Navy service and was therefore more experienced than I was.) In Iraq he earned a medal for valor while under fire.

I don't know what the Uniform Code of Military Justice has to say about my writing letters to journalists, so if you're still compiling such information it might be good to leave my name off of this. But make no mistake, I stand behind my position so if you need to use it, including my name, feel free.

Make no mistake about one other point either: You do the heavy lifting in the cause of freedom. And if you think that's sappy, then I suggest that you underestimate your influence; you set the tone of the debate. While in theory your column responds to other journalists, in practice it's exactly the other way around. Please keep pointing out the emperor's nakedness.

Bill Ward comes from a military family:

Just to pile on, James, my niece's husband, Maj. John Walsh, U.S. Army, who flies and leads Back Hawks when deployed, just came back from Kuwait, is now with the Virginia Guard, and moved down from New York. John is an attorney when home taking care of a beautiful family. I and almost every man in my family served in one branch of the military since the Revolutionary War. Every one of them are or when alive were exceptional individuals, all valuing God, family and country, upholding the rights of citizenship and loving America, all had differing political views. One thing in common was the desire to serve and protect. I could go on but I know how busy you must be, let it suffice to say "Our military people are intelligent and dedicated" and better any day than political gasbags.

Finally, a couple of emails from men who were of draft age but did not serve in Vietnam. First, Fred Butzen:

May I offer a somewhat different perspective on the issue of our servicepeople and their innate abilities?

I am a baby boomer, born in 1952. Many of my peers served in Vietnam; I did not, because I pulled No. 352 in the 1971 draft lottery (some things you never forget). The thought of enlisting never crossed my mind. I am not nearly as accomplished as many of your military correspondents, but I have a B.A. from a prestigious university and I make a good living a computer programmer. I have co-authored four books on computer programming, and have published many articles and book reviews on a variety of topics.

In years since then, I married; and my wife and I have had five children, three sons and two daughters, four of whom are grown. Two of my sons enlisted out of high school, and both have served in Iraq. Both are very bright and hardworking, and each would have done well in college had he chosen to go. My younger daughter also wanted to enlist but could not because of a medical condition.

I am very proud of my children. Proud, and humbled--because they are braver and more selfless than I was at their age. I will not put myself in the position of judging Messrs. Kerry and Rangel, in part because they served and I did not, and in part because we are commanded to judge not lest we be judged. But their statements, if reported accurately, clearly express contempt for our men and women in uniform--including my sons. I think that people who are "Making mock of uniforms / That guard you while you sleep" are unworthy of holding a position of trust in our Republic.

And Tim Jackson calls on fellow "chickenhawks" to stand up for their country:

To those who are standing up to hypocrites, add the voice of one who will no longer withhold his comments for fear of being dubbed a chickenhawk.

During Vietnam I registered for the draft and was given deferments because I was going to college and had a wife and two children. I was physically fit and ready, but was never called. I was not able to finish college until much later, and subsequently have avoided expressing strong opinion about our military for fear I would be challenged for not having made a greater sacrifice. John Kerry's and Charlie Rangel's comments have driven me from underground. They are still politicking as if we were in the '60s and they got points for being more vitriolic with their comments than any previously published ignorant pontificator.

These men express the right to cast aspersion on our military because they "served honorably." And as long as former chickens like me withhold comment because we are unable to proclaim we served honorably in the military, and defer to them, we can count on ever more Murthacrap.

Indeed. This columnist is not even old enough to have served in Vietnam, yet some of our more petulant readers nonetheless call us a "chickenhawk" and say we have no business expressing an opinion because of our lack of military experience--even though they were of draft age and never served either!

We, on the other hand, respect Rep. Rangel's service in Korea, and even have a meager respect for Sen. Kerry's meager service in Vietnam. But we detest their views, and we do so on the merits.