From now until the end of the world, we and it shall be remembered. We few, we Band of Brothers. For he who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother. ~~ William Shakespeare (”King Henry V”)

Open your Shakespeare to Henry V, Act IV, Scene 3, where the king, at battle’s eve, rallies his “band of brothers.” The stirring call to arms dates back to 1599. The methods of warfare have evolved somewhat since that time, but the character of man remains the same. Today’s war is a global war and it is not fought solely on the battlefield. Many skills are needed in the fields of information, of technology, of ingenuity. If you cannot be a soldier in a uniform, your talents may still be needed. We could all be citizen soldiers as we contribute our skills toward the war. The poetry of William Shakespeare is a great legacy handed down to us from our cultural forebears. Cherish it. Read the Bard’s immortal lines about war and understand our warriors.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me, Shall be my brother; be ne’er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition. And gentlemen in England now abed, Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhood’s cheap whiles any speaks, That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day. ~~William Shakespeare (”King Henry V”)