Don't Forget the Price

The Price of Freedom from Chuck Holton on Vimeo.

I've been connected in strange and tangential ways to the military all my life. My mother works as a dental hygienist on Ft. Benning, the largest infantry base in the world, near my hometown of Columbus, Ga.

My ex-step-dad's (told you this was tangential) father is a Korean War and Vietnam veteran.

More recently, I've become really close friends with two former Army Rangers, and I've gained a mentor who flew helicopters during Vietnam and is never at a loss for wartime metaphor when he's discussing his life and journey of faith. (Here's where this gets tricky).

One of the Ranger guys used to run a coffee business that gives a portion of its proceeds to organizations that help the troops on the ground in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. He then passed the business off to my new mentor, who now has involved me in the company.

As I'm mulling aspects of the business, particularly a new opportunity that's opened up with a completely different guy in Afghanistan, I get this video in an e-mail from the other former Ranger. His name is Chuck Holton, and he's an author and journalist who's been to Afghanistan once and Iraq multiple times. The video he shot reminds us to never forget the price our heroes pay in these difficult wars. And it reminds us that we should never stand for candidates using their sacrifice as a political football during the election season.

To support the troops by buying and drinking Ranger Coffee, click here.

For Chuck's "Boots on the Ground" blog on the sobering reality as well as the positive side of America's efforts in the Middle East, click here. Or visit his personal blog, which focuses on faith, military issues, travel and lifestyle design.

For your own side-splitting good, PLEASE watch this video Chuck shot of a real Afghan bachelor party during a recent trip.