Bob Herbert’s latest Op-Ed in the New York Times tells the story of two friends, Josh and Luis.

After graduating from high school, Luis went into the army (both their dads were career soldiers). A few years later, Josh was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and Luis was constantly on the phone, encouraging him through the ordeal.

This April, while leading a patrol in Baghdad, Luis was caught in the blast of an IED. He lost both legs, his left arm, and his sense of hearing.

Luis has no memory of the attack; when he woke up, his friend Josh was by his hospital bed in Walter Reed, where he has been every single day since Luis was admitted.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Sherman put it best when he said, “War is hell.” The cost of war (even a “good” war) is difficult to grasp, especially for those like me who have never experienced it.

Yet in these deep tragedies, we as humans get a chance to show our true qualities. Do we rise to the occasion? Or do we falter under the weight of our burdens?

As a side note, if you are looking for more stories of the heroism during times of war, pick up a copy of Medal of Honor (I found it at my local library). These stories of Congressional Medal of Honor winners will inspire anyone with a pulse.

Note that the ranks of these heroes even include medics who, for religious reasons, never bore arms, but still repeatedly risked their lives on the battlefield to save their fellow men.