Because I'm so stoopid, per Jon Carry, I'm probably writing to the wrong Web address to add the tale of my own idiocy to the ranks.

Just like Rangell suggested, I was one of those Midwestern kids too poor to go to college on my parents' dime, so I thought I had to go into the military. And just like Jon Carry said, I ended up in Iraq, or near enough (the Persian Gulf, twice, Kuwait, and Somalia for good measure). I only had a 1460 SAT, which put me in that mental category of "bright enough" to go to Annapolis, but obviously not up to Carry's or Rangell's standards.

After I drove ships and flew planes for the Navy, I got out and went to law school at Columbia (I know, Sen. Carry, it's not Yale, but what do you expect from a stoopid military guy?). To make my wife happy I went over to the Sorbonne and got a French law degree too, although there is no doubt that Jean le Carré must certainly speak la belle langue better than I, as he is well-educated and looks the part too. All I can do is practice law in French, which is about all that us mental category III guys who had to go into the service are able to do.

Today, I work down at one of those big Wall Street law firms, which means that I am heartless to the plight of the poor, being too rich (as contrasted with that man of the people from Massachussetts--hey, he married well!). More proof of both arrogance and sorry-sod sailor's ignorance: I don't know how to windsurf.

Another lawyer, Daniel Jones, recently received his commission:

I am a new officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. I joined in 2005 and am presently a first lieutenant. I have no prior military experience, but I joined because I wanted to serve my country and our military and to honor my grandfather who was an infantry officer during World War 1 and my father, a retired Coast Guard Commander.

Far from being uneducated with no opportunities, I am a civil trial attorney, and a sole practitioner in the Dallas area. I graduated in the top 15% of my law school class at Southern Methodist University and have 23 years of civil trial and appellate experience, including both state and federal court. I am in a JAG unit, and as you may have guessed, I am a bit older (48 to be exact) than the young men and women to whom Congressman Rangel is apparently referring.

I am profoundly impressed time and again by the degree of professionalism, accomplishment and intelligence of the men and women in uniform I come in contact with. I am not just referring to JAG officers, of whom there are fewer than 2,000 on active duty and hardly twice that number in the Reserve component. Rather, I refer to the noncommissioned officers and enlisted personnel with whom I work. Almost without exception, they are smart, diligent, responsible, resourceful and, as far as I can tell, the best-trained military forces in the world. None make as much money as they are worth (or as much as they probably could in the civilian world), but in my opinion, this is not cause for scorn as Rangel seems to think. Rather, it is the reason these warriors are heroes.

One of the tenets of Army values is a concept, perhaps somewhat forgotten these days, called Selfless Service. This value is, I believe, one of the prime motivations of these brave young men and women. I simply do not share Rangel's pessimism about why soldiers choose to become soldiers. His attitude is typical, however, of many Americans (including some--not all--of my own family and friends), who simply cannot believe or understand why an individual would choose to become a soldier. But this is the essential disconnect--the inability to understand the concept of Selfless Service--that animates Rangel and others who share his views. It is puzzling that Rangel, himself engaged in public service (and a veteran), would ascribe such motives to me and my fellow volunteers.

Ingar Grev jokes that high-achieving servicemen may be the beneficiaries of affirmative action:

My Naval Academy class (1989) graduated one Rhodes Scholar, who, after completing his studies at Oxford, served as an officer on a nuclear submarine. After his tour of duty, he earned his M.B.A. at Stanford and went on to work for one of the most prestigious management consulting firms in the world. Today he is an executive at a $1-billion-plus telecommunications company, and he's still a great guy.

In 2004, three Naval Academy midshipmen were named Rhodes Scholars, the most ever in one year by the academy and second only to Harvard that year (which had five recipients).

Now, I may be intellectually challenged, since I am only a Naval Academy graduate who went on to earn an M.S. in Engineering and an M.B.A., but it seems to me that, following the Hon. Charlie Rangel's logic, students who are capable of earning Rhodes Scholar distinction would never enter the military. So, did the Rhodes Scholar selection committee just feel sorry for them, or is it possible that Rangel might be dishonoring our men and women in uniform?

Joe Limon pays tribute to a fallen neighbor:

On my birthday, this past May, a very brave 25 year-old Marine from my hometown in Ohio gave his life for his country in the sands of Iraq. This Marine sergeant joined in the aftermath of 9/11, giving up his college career to serve and protect the future interests of his younger brother and sister. He was enrolled in the University of Toledo, studying accounting, and also a gifted young golfer. This past Memorial Day, instead of celebrating the birth of summer, I was in a church, speaking to family, friends and a group of veterans including the Patriot Guards, about the sacrifice of a fine young man, then taking the long sad trek to Arlington to bury a hero.

Sorry, but the tears are welling up as I write this, the pain of his sacrifice is too much. I am comfortable, sipping a warm coffee, sitting in a nice cube in a nice office, far from any threat of bombs, shootings or anything, because of people who are giving and generous with their lives. These are people who don't seek recognition or fame. They don't ask for our praise, and they shy away when we try to give them thanks. They, who know the call, leave the comfort of our freedoms, the pursuit of education, because something bigger than we has called them into serving.

Reading all the letters from those who have served admirably, intellectually, freely, forced me to share as well. Not that I should call any attention to myself, but to that fine young man, who put college, golf and an easy, safe future aside, only to sacrifice his life for all of us, even the likes of those who detract from his mission, Messrs. Rangel and Kerry.

Sgt. David R. Christoff, rest in peace. And thanks for your service.

Joe Fluet gives voice to young servicemen he knows:

I am an officer in the Army Reserve. I was activated in May 2005 and spent most of the next year in Afghanistan training Afghan helicopter pilots. Prior to being called up I spent two years as a reserve officer, fulfilling my commitment by teaching an ROTC class at George Mason University. I taught senior cadets who would be commissioned upon graduation. They were all full-time students at a top American university who had many other personal and financial options. For some, ROTC was their first military experience; others were enlisted soldiers before starting at GMU.

At the outset of each class I asked my cadets to submit a short biography. Among the stories of their families and other background information, they almost always explained why they entered the service. Not once did it involve lack of opportunity. Here are just a few quotes:

• "I was a full-time university student and a farm manager when September 11 occurred. The next day I quit my job and dropped out of college to enlist in the Army."
  
  
• "I believe that I owe service to my country, and that if one is able he or she should serve in the military or Peace Corps."
  
  
• "There are many factors that drive me to become an Army officer. The most important reason is to serve my country at its gravest hour."
  
  
• "The events of September 11 served as a wake-up call to me."
  
  
• "I served in Army infantry for 9 1/2 years. After leaving active duty I took a job as a program analyst with a technical support working group. After the events of September 11 I knew my place was back in the service."
  
  
• "I feel it is my duty as an American to serve in the armed forces."
  
  
• "I decided to become an officer in the United States Army because I feel it is my duty to protect and fight for our country that has given so much to us."
  
  
• "Our ability to deter war and protect the Constitution of the United States is something I want to be a part of. This nation has given me the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of education, family and freedom, and I want to give something back."
  
  
• "I chose to join the Army because I felt the need to give back to my country, as others have before me, so that others could have the freedoms that we have today."
  
  
• "I was a typical college student until 9/11. After that I joined ROTC to be something more."
  
  
• "I had finished two years of college, dean's list every semester, and was captain of the varsity track team. After September 11 I left college and enlisted in the U.S. Army."

For the record, I served as an Army helicopter pilot for seven years before leaving active duty to attend the University of Florida College of Law. I graduated from there six years ago with high honors. Despite having other options, I chose to remain in the reserves. I practice law with a major Washington firm and continue to serve as a reserve military officer.

Here are links to the first, second, third and fourth installments; we'll have more tomorrow.