I was struck this week by a news article that described a most difficult day on the job. It was one of those days that make you think.

Back in December, U.S. Army Special Forces Maj. Jim Gant, based at Fort Bragg and leader of the Iraqi National Police quick reaction unit, was leading a patrol back to Baghdad from a city north of the capital. This was a trip he had made before, and it often was punctuated by explosions and gunfire.

According to an Associated Press account, on this particular day he and his crew had to fight insurgents while calling for a helicopter to help evacuate an injured Iraqi police officer.

Before moving on, Maj. Gant put his armored vehicle at the rear of his convoy in order to take the brunt of machine gun fire that had been directed at the soldiers from that direction. But later, when others observed that the enemy had planted improvised explosives along the road they were traveling, Gant told his patrol to stop and he moved his heavier vehicle to the front of the column so it would be in place to absorb such explosions.

Finally, while small-arms fire clattered around him, he gave first-aid to a civilian injured in one of these explosions, applying tourniquets to her injured legs, the AP reported. He and his patrol continued to battle insurgents until finally getting back to Baghdad.

For Maj. Gant and his patrol, another day on the job — in Iraq.

For his leadership, resourcefulness and heroism, Maj. Gant received the Silver Star, the military's third highest award for valor. The AP reported that Gant's is the 269th Silver Star given since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began.

Those are 269 pretty difficult days — not to mention all the other soldiers' days in Iraq and Afghanistan, each with the possibility that any one of them could suddenly become one like Maj. Gant's.

Now, what did I do that day last December? And the rest of us here, back home? Do you recall?

I suppose my day was probably like most of mine. But one thing I know is that there were no explosions, no small-arms fire, no roadside rescues or lives or limbs saved. While our days are generally solid, productive, honorable, I think, and maybe even heroic every now and then, they're nothing like Maj. Gant's day near Baghdad or those 268 other Silver Star winners' days.

All of these soldiers' days are something to think about at a time when politicians of all stripes daily invoke the heroism of "our troops" as they desperately seek ways to save face — or their elected office. Sadly it is too easy to lose sight of these men and women so far away, doing jobs so foreign, so frightening — jobs we have asked them to do, either directly or through our vote.

Our soldiers follow their orders and will fight through to whatever end they are directed — to a place of danger so close that it's hard to comprehend. I hope we're sure this effort serves appropriate purpose and does so for the right reasons.

Maj. Gant and his comrades in arms deserve absolutely nothing less.

Al Clark is executive editor of The Daily Reflector. Tell him what you think at 252-329-9560 or at aclark@coxnc.com.