Tomorrow we will celebrate Independence Day ... our Nation’s 232nd birthday. It was on this day in 1776 that the Declaration of Independence for the Thirteen Colonies was signed by their representatives. From that moment on, FREEDOM has been at the top of America’s priority list. From freedom of British rule, to freedom of slaves, to freedom of other less fortunate and tyrannized nations around the world, America has set the precedence on the concept of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. On July 4, 1776 democracy as we know it today was born.

Freedom is defined as the quality or state of being free. This includes the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action. It means liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another. For the United States, freedom is the essence of our core and it means the ability for every American to chase their dreams; to make a life for themselves; to choose where they will live, work and even what religion, or not, they may practice.

The United States has such an honored legacy of justice, goodness, and opportunity that every day thousands leave their original homelands to enter the ‘‘land of the free and the home of the brave.” They often risk their lives and the lives of their families in the hopes of living the American Dream. It can be difficult for Americans to realize and understand that many foreign nations do not have these basic individual and political rights. They do not have the freedoms we sometimes take for granted. They do not live under rules and practices that allow individual freedoms and choices.

The concept of political freedom is very closely allied with the concepts of civil liberties and individual rights. Political freedom is the absence of interference with the sovereignty of an individual by the use of coercion or aggressions. Nations that live in a totalitarian state that restricts political freedoms, have almost every aspect of their citizens’ behavior regulated or censored. Members of a free society, such as ours, have full dominion over their private and public lives. We do believe that all individuals have ‘‘unalienable rights” not to be abused or denied by a government, Nation, State or even individuals like terrorists.

That’s why the United States takes such a harsh view of the tyranny and injustices forcefully imposed on members of other, less fortunate, nations. That is why we are actively involved in the Global War on Terrorism. Our flag is a symbol for our freedoms and we fly it proudly, especially on the 4th of July! An interesting side note is the fact that the first American flag carried into battle was at the Battle of Brandywine in Pennsylvania. It was the largest engagement of the Revolutionary War fought on September 11, 1777. That date — 9⁄11 — has now become such a significant moment in time for our country and a rallying point for our Nation. It may be just a coincidence, but it is a coincidence that reminds us that freedom must be cherished, protected and often fought for against those who would want to take it away from not only Americans, but all people who have it around the world.

Please be safe and have an enjoyable holiday weekend. We want all of you back healthy and ready to make a difference again in the lives of those we are honored to serve. As you celebrate the birth of our nation and the life style and freedoms we hold dear, remember to reflect on the sacrifices of our forebears and those that fought, and, in some cases, died for our precious rights. Again, we are reminded that FREEDOM ISN’T FREE.

Commander sends,