As the soldiers of the 278th Regimental Combat Team return home from northeastern Iraq they stand on the shoulders of the Doughboys, the Greatest Generation and the veterans of Korea and Vietnam.

That is why as a country we set aside November 11th of every year to reflect on the valor and sacrifice of all the veterans who served with honor, dedication and distinction.

The authors of the Federalist Papers - Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay - were indeed great men. Madison is widely recognized as the Father of the Constitution and became the fourth President of the United States, Jay was the first U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice and Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury and a major force in setting economic policy for the U.S.

But their accomplishments would not have been possible without the strength and sacrifice of those who have fought in the battles and wars defending this country from those who would destroy it.

That same spirit continues in our armed forces today as our soldiers fight in Iraq and Afghanistan to defeat our enemies and ensure those countries do not remain shelters from which terrorists can plot, train and launch attacks against us.

But when you come face-to-face with these young men and women you quickly understand that for them, every day is Veterans Day.

Recently, I visited with one of these brave soldiers, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Richard C. Robertson of Anderson County.

Sgt. Robertson, a soldier with the 141st Special Operations command, was recovering at Walter Reed after being injured by an improvised explosive device on Aug. 25 near the Syrian border in Husaybah, Iraq while serving his third tour of duty there.

Sgt. Robertson is paralyzed from the ribcage down and has a wife and young daughter at home. Some might think that he would be angry and bitter. But he is not. In fact, in my 48 years on this earth I have never met a human being with a more positive attitude and more spirit than this young man. All he wanted to do was continue his recuperation therapy and was so proud of all the good we are doing in Iraq that he looked me in the eye and said "it is a no-lose mission, sir."

When speaking with the soldiers of the 278th I hear that sentiment a lot. They know they are winning. These soldiers have a real sense of fulfillment about having had a hand in freeing a people of oppression and helping them build a better life.

There are more than 3,200 Tennesseans in the 278th. They trained Iraqis to serve in the Iraqi police force and army, but they also helped to open dozens of schools, dug wells for drinking water, improved roads and established basic infrastructure such as water and sewer. And during the historic elections in Iraq last January, they provided security at polling stations.

But they won't all be coming home to tell those stories like Sgt. Robertson did.

Ten soldiers of the 278th were killed in the line of duty while serving the cause of freedom in Iraq:

Sgt. Mark O. Edwards; Staff Sgt. Asbury F. Hawn; Spc. Joseph D. Hunt; Spc.1st Class Stephen C. Kennedy; Staff Sgt. Victoir P. Lieurance; Staff Sgt. Gary L. Reese; Sgt. Alfred B. Siler; Sgt. Shannon D. Taylor; Sgt. Paul W. Thomason III; and Sgt. Robert W. Tucker all made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Today, I want to ask all Tennesseans to think about them. Say a quiet prayer for these fallen citizen-soldiers and remember their names and their service. Take some time out of your day to seek out their brothers- and sisters-in-arms and personally thank them for their sacrifice and dedication. They are our neighbors, our teachers, our auto-mechanics and shop owners. Tell them you are proud of them.

It is the least we can do for the most that these true patriots have done.