A few months ago Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel encouraged US troops to vote, noting

For Americans serving in uniform, voting is more than a civic responsibility. It’s about exercising the rights you’ve sworn to defend.

It’s encouraging to see senior leaders call on troops to exercise the rights they’ve promised their very lives to defend. Notably, the right to free exercise of religion is likewise a freedom troops have sworn to defend — and one US troops should be encouraged to exercise, both in word and policy.

Secretary Hagel’s voting message can be seen below:

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