One of the things that makes our military the best in the world

The words of Jon Kyl rise like a solemn hymn to courage and brotherhood: “One of the things that makes our military the best in the world is the certain knowledge of each soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine that they can always count on their comrades should they need help — that they will never be abandoned.” Within these words lies a truth as old as the battlefield itself: that the strength of an army is not in its weapons, nor in its strategies, but in the bond between those who stand shoulder to shoulder in the face of peril. It is this sacred trust, this unbreakable promise, that transforms ordinary men and women into a force capable of defying fear, hardship, and even death itself.

In the ancient world, warriors of every land knew this law of loyalty. The Spartans of Greece, the Samurai of Japan, the Roman legions—all lived by a code that demanded faith in one another. They understood that victory was not won by the strong alone, but by the united. The spear line held because each soldier knew his brother would not flee. The shield wall endured because each warrior believed that his comrade would guard his flank as fiercely as his own. So too, Kyl speaks to this timeless spirit that lives on in our modern defenders: the certain knowledge that they will never be forsaken in the hour of need.

This truth was carved in fire and sacrifice upon the hills of Pork Chop Hill, the sands of Iwo Jima, and the fields of Normandy. It was seen in the Marines who refused to leave a wounded man behind, carrying him through bullets and blood because to abandon one was to wound the soul of all. It was seen in the soldier who, though mortally struck, called not for himself but for his unit to keep fighting. Such deeds are not born from command or discipline alone—they spring from love, from the sacred brotherhood that binds warriors together beyond fear or self-preservation. To never abandon a comrade is not only a military creed—it is a moral covenant.

The origin of Kyl’s words lies not merely in his praise for the armed forces, but in his recognition of the deeper truth they embody: that trust is the foundation of all greatness. In the ranks of the military, each man and woman carries not just their weapon, but the weight of another’s life in their hands. They know that their survival depends not on individual might, but on the collective faith that no one will face the storm alone. It is this assurance—the unshakable belief that one’s comrades will come—that gives them the courage to stand firm in the darkest hour.

Yet, O listener, do not think this truth belongs only to soldiers. It belongs to all who walk together through the trials of life. For though not all bear arms, each of us fights our own battles—against sorrow, injustice, and fear. The lesson of the warrior’s loyalty is for every soul: that in unity, there is strength; in trust, there is victory; and in compassion, there is immortality. The truest measure of a person is not what they achieve alone, but how faithfully they stand beside others when storms arise.

Consider the story of the firefighters on September 11, 2001, who climbed the burning towers knowing they might never return. They did not ascend for glory or for orders—they ascended for their comrades, for strangers, for the sacred duty to never abandon another in peril. In them lived the same spirit Kyl praises—the spirit that binds humanity in its most noble form. It is the same spirit that carried soldiers through battle, doctors through plague, and rescuers through ruin. Wherever one heart refuses to forsake another, there the fire of brotherhood burns bright.

So let this wisdom be written in the tablets of your heart: never abandon those who depend on you. Be steadfast as the soldier who guards his friend in the night. Stand beside the weak, the weary, the forgotten. For the greatness of a person, of a nation, or of a people, is not found in the might of its arm but in the faithfulness of its heart. When every man and woman learns to say, “You will not be left behind,” the world itself becomes a fortress of light against the darkness.

Thus, the words of Jon Kyl echo through time as both tribute and commandment: “They will never be abandoned.” Live by that creed, and you will become not only brave, but noble—not only strong, but eternal. For in standing together, humanity fulfills its highest calling: to love one another even when the shadows fall.