Chaplain William Thomas Cummings has been quoted as saying, "There are no atheists in foxholes." As a chaplain's assistant in my last two years in the Navy, I met many sailors of different ethnicities, backgrounds, and religions. Many sailors practiced their own religions.

A number of different religions practice Lent, not just Catholics. Most of us honor God's will by giving up something for Lent - a favorite food or something we normally enjoy, honoring Jesus' 40 days of fasting in the desert resisting temptation.

Active-duty servicemembers already give up things they love, primarily because of their military service. But they also devote themselves because they believe in a higher authority and try to do God's will.