--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The 2.4 million bright, brave, incredibly…" description: "\"The 2.4 million bright, brave, incredibly fit and remarkably talented young Americans who have served in our armed forces since we were attacked on 9-1..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/oliver-north-9452_afghanistan_the-2-4-million-bright-brave-incredibly_2835307.jpg" --- # The 2.4 million bright, brave, incredibly fit and… ![“The 2.4 million bright, brave, incredibly fit and remarkably talented young Americans who have served in our armed forces since we were attacked on 9-11-01 are all volunteers. As General Petraeus put it during a conversation we had in Afghanistan, 'They all came or stayed, knowing they were going…” quote by Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/oliver-north-9452_afghanistan_the-2-4-million-bright-brave-incredibly_2835307.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/oliver-north-9452_afghanistan_the-2-4-million-bright-brave-incredibly_2835307.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/oliver-north-9452_afghanistan_the-2-4-million-bright-brave-incredibly_2835307.jpg) > “The 2.4 million bright, brave, incredibly fit and remarkably talented young Americans who have served in our armed forces since we were attacked on 9-11-01 are all volunteers. As General Petraeus put it during a conversation we had in Afghanistan, 'They all came or stayed, knowing they were going to war.' For more than a decade, these patriots and their loved ones have made extraordinary sacrifices for this country. They embody the classical definition of heroes: those who put themselves at risk for the benefit of others.” [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Volunteer soldiers embody heroism by willingly facing danger for others’ safety. **In simple terms:** Heroes sacrifice for others. Key Takeaway Honor and support those who serve. Themes heroism service patriotism Mood respectful reflective Type commemorative inspirational When to use this quote - military enlistment - family support - public recognition Key Concepts sacrifice volunteerism Questions to Reflect On - How can society better support returning veterans? - What defines true heroism? A Different Perspective Heroic narratives may overlook the trauma experienced by veterans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Armed forces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armed-forces/) [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Going to war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-to-war/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) [Loved ones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-ones/) [Patriot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriot/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Veteran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veteran/) [Veterans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veterans/) [Veterans day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veterans-day/) [Volunteer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/volunteer/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [My heroes are those who risk their lives every day to protect our world and make it a better place - police, firefighters and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-sheldon/my-heroes-are-those-who-risk-their-lives-every-day-to-protect-our/) [Sidney Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-sheldon/) > [Four Americans, four patriots, they loved this country and they chose to serve it, and served it well. They had a mission and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/four-americans-four-patriots-they-loved-this-country-and-they-chose/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Every generation of Americans who has fought, every generation of Americans who has served, has suffered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/every-generation-of-americans-who-has-fought-every-generation-of/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [By their victory, the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions and other units of the Fifth Amphibious Corps have made an accounting to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/by-their-victory-the-3rd-4th-and-5th-marine-divisions-and-other-units/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [Each day in Texas, heroes risk their lives to protect ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/each-day-in-texas-heroes-risk-their-lives-to-protect-ours/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [All of my high school male teachers were WWII and/or Korean War veterans. They taught my brothers and me the value of service to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/all-of-my-high-school-male-teachers-were-wwii-and-or-korean-war/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [There is one hell of a difference between fighting in the ring and going to war in Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-is-one-hell-of-a-difference-between-fighting-in-the-ring-and/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [The Romans never allowed a trouble spot to remain simply to avoid going to war over it, because they knew that wars don't just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/the-romans-never-allowed-a-trouble-spot-to-remain-simply-to-avoid/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It's odd how those who dismiss the peace movement as utopian, don't hesitate to proffer the most absurdly dreamy reasons for going to war:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-s-odd-how-those-who-dismiss-the-peace-movement-as-utopian-don-t/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Sure, we want to go home. We want this war over with. The quickest way to get it over with is to go get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/sure-we-want-to-go-home-we-want-this-war-over-with-the-quickest-way/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [Going to war accelerated the move from indirect to direct rule. Almost any state that makes war finds that it cannot pay for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tilly/going-to-war-accelerated-the-move-from-indirect-to-direct-rule-almost/) [Charles Tilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-tilly/) > [This too is a jihad. Yet we Americans find ourselves in the dangerous position of going to war not against a state but against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/this-too-is-a-jihad-yet-we-americans-find-ourselves-in-the-dangerous/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [Going to war against Iran - whether one calls such a move 'surgical' or 'total' - would be an extremely serious undertaking; with worldwide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barr/going-to-war-against-iran-whether-one-calls-such-a-move-surgical-or/) [Bob Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barr/) > [A lot of people approach their barn or horse like they are going to war, because it's been going badly. So you pick up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-meehl/a-lot-of-people-approach-their-barn-or-horse-like-they-are-going-to/) Cindy Meehl > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) ## More by Oliver North > [“Frenchie spoke: 'Captain, you should have seen my lieutenant. He was magnificent.' It wasn't the word magnificent that meant so much. It was what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/frenchie-spoke-captain-you-should-have-seen-my-lieutenant-he-was/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [History and war are cruel pedants. Those who know too little of the former are likely to have too much of the latter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/history-and-war-are-cruel-pedants-those-who-know-too-little-of-the/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [Heroes aren't athletes who set new sports records, or Hollywood actors who make 'daring' films or politicians who make bold promises. Heroes are people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/heroes-aren-t-athletes-who-set-new-sports-records-or-hollywood-actors/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [Bill Clinton is not my commander-in-chief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/bill-clinton-is-not-my-commander-in-chief/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [I came here to tell you the truth, the good, the bad and the ugly. Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/i-came-here-to-tell-you-the-truth-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-ugly/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [I thought using the Ayatollah's money to support the Nicaraguan resistance was a neat idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/i-thought-using-the-ayatollah-s-money-to-support-the-nicaraguan/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [And of course there is so much of World War II that is documented that we never have seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/and-of-course-there-is-so-much-of-world-war-ii-that-is-documented/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [If you could have imagined that someone is happy that Obama is president, it has to be Jimmy Carter because he is no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/if-you-could-have-imagined-that-someone-is-happy-that-obama-is/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [“The objective was simple: capture or kill the brutal leader of a kidnapping ring with ties to the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/the-objective-was-simple-capture-or-kill-the-brutal-leader-of-a/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [In uniform, I had to make judgments about the best course of action in combat when the only choices were 'bad' or 'worse.' As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/in-uniform-i-had-to-make-judgments-about-the-best-course-of-action-in/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [“Heros aren't defined by the way they die but how they live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/heros-aren-t-defined-by-the-way-they-die-but-how-they-live/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [The Obama administration has turned a blind eye to radical Islam since before they came to office. If you look at everything that's transpired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/the-obama-administration-has-turned-a-blind-eye-to-radical-islam/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [I think as a rifle platoon and company commander your view is about 1,000 meters in front of you and you hope you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/i-think-as-a-rifle-platoon-and-company-commander-your-view-is-about-1/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [“we shall acquit ourselves with honor, that we may never bring shame upon our faith, our families, or our fellow men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/we-shall-acquit-ourselves-with-honor-that-we-may-never-bring-shame/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [“Whoever has the sword will have the earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/whoever-has-the-sword-will-have-the-earth/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) [Explore all 72 Oliver North quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) ## More Afghanistan quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [They're criminals, they brutalized Afghanistan, they killed our people, they destroyed our land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/they-re-criminals-they-brutalized-afghanistan-they-killed-our-people/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The terrorist attacks of September 11th and the courageous actions of our armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq remind us that friends of tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-levin/the-terrorist-attacks-of-september-11th-and-the-courageous-actions-of/) [Carl Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-levin/) > [According to a recent Harvard study, $6 trillion, when you include the ongoing healthcare expenses for our wounded soldiers, which is the least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/according-to-a-recent-harvard-study-6-trillion-when-you-include-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [You don't bargain with terrorists. You don't appease terrorists. And anybody who believes that this is about something we've done has to ask themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chertoff/you-don-t-bargain-with-terrorists-you-don-t-appease-terrorists-and/) [Michael Chertoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chertoff/) > [“I stood with my mom in the cemetery. She felt terrible pain. My grandmother is with God. My mom has to continue living. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/i-stood-with-my-mom-in-the-cemetery-she-felt-terrible-pain-my/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/) [Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I have been to Afghanistan many times, even before the Taliban collapsed. I was fascinated by the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/i-have-been-to-afghanistan-many-times-even-before-the-taliban/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [There has been sort of, if you will, a moral interventionism on the part of the United States trying to reshape countries in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/there-has-been-sort-of-if-you-will-a-moral-interventionism-on-the/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The legal system in Afghanistan is very immature and porous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-legal-system-in-afghanistan-is-very-immature-and-porous/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) [Browse all 1,159 Afghanistan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The 2.4 million bright, brave, incredibly fit and remarkably talented young Americans who have served in our armed forces since we were attacked on 9-11-01 are all volunteers. 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