Every generation worries that the next generation will not be up to the task. This generation is no different.

As 2003 began, there was much talk that today’s young people would never be able to answer the challenges of tomorrow. Many described the younger generation as lazy and spoiled. Having never walked twelve miles in the snow each way to school, the younger generation had not experienced the physical hardships of life and could not be expected to handle them now. Most pointed to the music of the day or the role models of the moment (or the lack thereof) as evidence of the inaptitude of the next generation.

With reality television as the entertainment of choice, there was a sense that today’s youth had no idea regarding who they were or what they were doing here. Drifting along without direction or purpose, the younger generation seemed to many as hopelessly apathetic, aimlessly passive, and genuinely disinterested.

The few young people that received public recognition such as the high school students at Columbine seemed only served to confirm the perception that the few that had direction were disturbed and dangerous. Of course, with each episode, thousands of explanations surfaced regarding how this new generation had become so messed up. Any confidence in the next generation’s ability to accept the challenges of tomorrow was diminished if not destroyed. The consensus seemed to be – not tough enough, not smart enough, not disciplined enough.

But, that is no different than generations before. In 1939 and 1940, parents and grandparents expressed skepticism over the ability of the next generation to answer the call. The young generation of that time was described as soft and weak, having never conquered the wild of the west or endured the hardships of country not yet industrialized. Of course, those descriptions were wrong.

And, they are wrong today. Reality has shown a generation much different than the picture that had been painted of them. Our young men and women have consistently answered their call without complaint. The next generation is not whining about their situation, fussing about the weather, refusing to move forward, or failing in their duty. Through the sandstorms of Iraq, with bullets flying, and bombs going off, our next generation does its job. With protestors at home, and a tyrant trying to capture or kill them, our soldiers face the risk, weather the storm, confront death, and protect our freedom.

There are those who are always so quick to point out all the things that are wrong with our country, our values and our next generation. They are quick to blame today’s parents as too lax, too directionless, or too lazy to fulfill the responsibility of parenting their children sufficiently to fulfill the responsibility to protect freedom for the generations to follow them. But they are wrong. All they have to do is look at the pictures beamed back home.

The seemingly lazy, soft, weak, and disinterested kids serving our country are in fact a diligent, tough, strong, and focused army of individuals determined to complete their missions and come home. Most will; some will not; but all have earned respect and honor from a grateful nation.