Be all you can be.

Aim high.

U.S. military slogans are pretty recognizable.

Military service is done strictly on a volunteer basis, so the different branches are in the business of recruiting.

Really, they are in the business of selling themselves as organizations to potential employees.

Thursday, the group Direct Action took issue with the military's recruiting tactics and organized a protest outside the local Marine Corps Recruiting Station on Grand River Avenue.

Direct Action is a local-based activist group that has opposed the war in Iraq.

In addition, there were other groups present to oppose Direct Action.

"They don't seem to understand the only reason they have the right to protest is because members of the military are there willing to defend that right to the death," one counter protester said of Direct Action.

It seems this has become the mantra every time someone criticizes the war in Iraq or the military in general.

It's overused. The war has nothing to do with fighting to maintain our civil rights in America right now. If rights are involved at all, it's a war for Iraqis' freedoms.

Soldiers deserve our respect and gratitude for their service to our country. But not at the expense of silencing criticism.

In a way, speaking out helps to maintain Americans' rights as well.

Direct Action argued the military intentionally misleads people about what service will entail, especially regarding the current war in Iraq. They believe recruiters try to pressure young people into joining the military.

What do they expect?

That's what recruiting is. It's trying to get people to join. That's the point. Having aggressive recruiting techniques is a much better option than a draft.

In today's world, it's very unlikely for someone to not be aware of the situation our military is in. Most people who are looking to join the army should know combat service is a very real possibility.

If Direct Action is truly concerned about this issue, it seems like there is a better way to go about solving the problem. It's pretty unlikely the military is going to change its ways based on a local protest.

If the group claims the military is misleading high school students, Direct Action should go into high schools and provide information to counter the military's recruiting tactics.

If they believe the military fails to tell young people the whole story, why not provide the rest of the story themselves?

This would reach more people who are directly affected by the issue of recruiting than a protest.

The military really is a good option for many people. It provides opportunities some people otherwise would not have. It's an option people take out of choice — no one forces them into it.

Supporting our troops is a good thing. So is being critical of the government or the way the military operates. This type of discourse is what the country is founded on.

This is how we fight for our freedoms.