Today’s blog post is a commentary from the 21st Secretary of the Army, the Honorable John McHugh.

For the first time in eight years, we’ve entered a January without American Soldiers patrolling the streets of Iraq. As the President confirmed last week, our transition in Afghanistan continues and troops will be coming home in the months to come.

Since these wars began, we’ve had more than 47,000 American service members wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq. Beside each one is a family impacted by war … a family who helps the wounded overcome their injuries and face the challenges of recovery. Theirs is a heavy burden, yet they face it with dignity, courage and resilience.

Since becoming Secretary of the Army more than two years ago, I’ve visited our wounded heroes and their families at medical facilities at home and abroad. I am always moved and inspired by these great young men and women and their families. They truly represent the strength of our Army and the best of our nation.

This week I visited Brooke Army Medical Center and the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio, Texas, where I had the privilege of meeting more troops and their families and awarding the Purple Heart Medal to a number of these heroes. The Purple Heart is our nation’s oldest continuously awarded military decoration, and ironically, one that probably no one sets out to earn.

I had the solemn honor of awarding the Purple Heart to nine soldiers yesterday. One of them, Pfc. Charles Ligon, from West Frankfort, Ill., had recently returned from Afghanistan. He had suffered severe burns and other significant injuries including an amputation to his left leg after his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device during a patrol with the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

Like so many who’ve joined our ranks in recent years, Pfc. Ligon was just a boy when terrorists attacked our nation a decade ago. He grew up in a time of war and volunteered to serve knowing what that could mean. As I spoke with his mother, Susanne Willmore, I was struck by how proud she was that her son had made that choice two years ago to join the Army, and how determined she was to help him persevere and recover from his injuries. Family members are an integral part of our Soldiers’ recovery.

A short walk from the hospital complex is the Center for the Intrepid, an impressive rehabilitation facility with state-of-the-art equipment. However, more remarkable than the structure are the young men and women who walk through its doors each day. Their tireless work to recover from the severe wounds of war is simply inspirational. The price of liberty is steep, but the men and women I met exemplify courage, strength and the triumph of the American spirit.

Throughout our history, our freedoms have been bought through the sacrifice and selfless service of men and women like PFC Ligon – ordinary Americans inspired to extraordinary service, and who are now rising to meet new challenges.

As our brave men and women return home from war, recognize the small purple ribbon so many have earned. It is a symbol of their courage, service and sacrifice to our nation, but it also represents the sacrifice their families have made on our behalf.

“Capitol Hill”  Photo By: Jessica Maxwell

Walking up to the Capitol is a pretty cool experience but knowing you’re going inside to listen to Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. George W. Casey and Secretary of the Army John McHugh is better. Exchanging pleasantries with the general and being seated directly behind them resulted in a full-on Army geek-out.

Working at the Pentagon can lead to some interesting experiences and on Tuesday, Chondra Perry (another Army public affairs intern) and I went with Lt. Col. Richard Spiegel to a House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Defense hearing. (Basically, Gen. Casey and Secretary McHugh discussed upcoming Army budget needs.)

We arrived at the Capitol early enough to ensure we had seats. Chondra and I were at the front of the line and as Gen. Casey came down the hall, surrounded by an entourage, he took the time to greet everyone outside of the hearing room. He went in but alas, we continued waiting until the reserved seats were filled. The lady in charge came out, said “I have four seats left,” and we were in… directly behind Gen. Casey and Secretary McHugh.

Before leaving the office, we were warned not to fidget, not to fall asleep and pay attention. Seeing the Associated Press images online this morning, I am grateful – pictured in the background of the photos, I do not look like a doofus.

Now, to some, this may not sound thrilling. To us, it was not only a chance to hear top Army officials talk but a chance to hear them discuss topics that we knew well and wrote on, such as Army suicide prevention, Comprehensive Soldier Fitness and the current situation in Afghanistan.

After the hearing was over and the crowd dispersed, we talked about it with Lt. Col. Spiegel and thanked him for bringing us. In addition to watching the hearing, it was interesting to see Gen. Casey and Secretary McHugh interact with the representatives of Congress and learn how they handled questions. It was a great experience, another one to add to our list while in D.C.

Who knows what’s next.

Submitted by Jessica Maxwell, Public Affairs Specialist, Online and Social Media

 Today we have a guest blog entry from Army Secretary, John McHugh. Read below to learn about Sec. McHugh’s recent trip to Afghanistan.

Army Secretary John McHugh speaks with California native Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Cummings of Charlie Company, 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, about taking care of Soldiers at Foward Operating Base Warhorse, Diyala, Iraq. December 18, 2009.

Just returned from a great trip seeing our Army’s efforts in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait – followed up by a visit with Soldiers and their medical team at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Spending time with our Soldiers overseas was a real improvement from my usual work week. As much as I value the input of the Army’s great senior military and civilian leaders at the Pentagon and throughout Washington, D.C., you just can’t beat what is learned from a personal view of conditions on the ground.

Not surprisingly, the primary intent behind the trip was to get feedback from Soldiers. My job as Secretary of the Army is to organize, train and equip the Army to carry out its mission to fight and win the nation’s wars. Among other issues, I asked Soldiers how well their unit formations function given their set of wartime missions, how we can improve training stateside before they deploy, their experiences with the various MRAP vehicles now in theater, and the medical evacuation process. In Kuwait, I focused on the tremendous effort to drawdown personnel and materiel in Iraq and concurrently to surge into Afghanistan. As a professional Army, we are committed to continuous improvement in order to do our mission more effectively and efficiently while minimizing loss of life. My impression is that we’re doing a good job, but I’ve brought back a few ideas to share with leaders here to provide even better support to warfighters in the field.

I also wanted to share some holiday cheer. At each place I visited, I expressed to Soldiers the thanks of the Army and the nation for their sacrifices and those of their families. It’s humbling to wish “happy holidays” to a Soldier at a remote forward operating base, and even more so when that Soldier is serving a second or third tour. Our nation is truly blessed by the commitment and courage of the few who choose to put country before self and serve us honorably.

For those of you reading this who are part of the military community – Soldiers, DA civilians, spouses, kids, parents, veterans, and volunteers – let me thank you for your part to keep our nation strong during this period of protracted conflict. Each of you makes a contribution to preserve our way of life, and to enable others to have a better future. My wish for us all, this year as always, is a warm, healthy, safe, and secure New Year.