On January 1, 1951, Time magazine headlined the following:

1950 MAN OF THE YEAR - "THE AMERICAN FIGHTING-MAN"

He is a peculiar soldier, product of a peculiar country. His two outstanding characteristics seem to be contradictory. He is more of an individualist than soldiers of other nations, and at the same time he is far more conscious of, and dependent on, teamwork. He fights as he lives, a part of a vast, complicated machine -- but a thinking, deciding part, not an inert cog.

That was then. This is now. In the 53-year span since that little 'forgotten' war known as "Korea", men, and yes, women of the US Military Forces have literally spanned the globe on missions ranging from all-out war in Viet Nam, the Balkans and the Persian Gulf ... to surgical military operations in Somalia, Haiti and Panama ... to hundreds of other 'missions' in nations and emerging nations worldwide. Add to that the fact that these men and women have the task of defending United States soil at home, militarily - something that, God willing, we will never have to undertake with arms drawn.

In that same 53-year timespan, Time Magazine has honored - all due respect, seriously - 32 politicians, diplomats and chiefs-of-state; one military leader (William Westmoreland); a dozen or so business leaders, astronauts, and cause-fighters, not to mention groups such as scientists, The American Woman, peacemakers, whistle blowers, middle-Americans, the 25-and-under ... plus, the endangered Earth as a whole, and the "computer", for cryin' out loud!

And so, yes, Time Magazine...it IS about time for this honor to be awarded once again to the family of defenders - no matter what age, sex, or color of uniform, part-time or full-time - our family of defenders who are simply identified as "The 2003 Time Magazine 'Person of the Year' - The American Soldier". All 2.6 million of them. And, just as in the magazine story 53 years ago, the US Soldier remains very much an individualist who relies on teamwork to accomplish a mission. We could all learn from that.

As my sainted Mother would say, "Billy Bo...light a candle for 'em - and say a Hail Mary." I think I'll do just that.