As we celebrate our nation's 250th anniversary, I wanted to share some thoughts regarding something we all cherish, yet too often take for granted: freedom.

Until you have it taken away, you really can't understand the true value of freedom. For those of us who served in the military, the loss of freedom was the first hard reality we faced in those early days of boot camp or basic training. One of the first steps in that training was the elimination of any and all pre-existing habits, comforts, and even your very identity. You no longer existed as an individual. (To be called an individual in the military is one of the greatest degradations.) You were now part of something larger than yourself. You came to identify more with your squad, platoon, company or, to an even greater extent, as a Marine, soldier, airman or sailor. Your every action was filtered through what was best not for you, but for the greater good.

Over time, you began to earn freedom, and that freedom became something to be savored. We learned something there that I think could serve as a lesson for our greater society. Freedom is not only something we should never take for granted, but also something we sustain through self-discipline.

Many times, when I am teaching young people about freedom—or, in their case, the desire for independence from their parents—I use the analogy of walking the family dog. If you're walking along and the dog is maintaining the proper distance and pace, without trying to run after squirrels, you allow some slack in the leash. If that dog repeatedly attempts to stray, however, the leash gets tighter. Our own family had an amazing dog that, over time, became so well trained that we never even bothered with a leash when we went for walks.

In 30 years of law enforcement, this is the best analogy I can come up with for the relationship between freedom and discipline in our society. I have witnessed people take actions in the name of personal freedom without taking into account the well-being or safety of others, and in doing so, they found themselves in very restricted circumstances. It is somewhat of an oxymoron that through discipline and the tempering of freedom, we expand that freedom, while through the reckless and thoughtless pursuit of freedom, we restrict it.

If we ever hope to celebrate our nation's 300th or 350th anniversary, we would be wise to return to our founding documents and truly appreciate the principles upon which this nation was built. Some say those founding documents need to be rewritten, but I subscribe to the belief that they simply need to be reread. Just as in military service, each of us needs to value our individuality insofar as it contributes value and strength to the greater good.

We are a nation built on self-determination, but that self-determination must always be measured and pursued with purpose and discipline. Our freedoms are ours either to sustain or to lose.

In the end, as great a country as we are, we are not immune to the self-inflicted decay that has led to the decline of so many civilizations throughout history. We must be students of those lessons and apply them in real time. Celebrating our history is to celebrate the sacrifices from which it was born, reflect on the challenges through which it has grown—and continues to grow—and pass along our rich and storied heritage of freedom, a freedom for which so many have paid dearly and which we must relentlessly guard, both from external threats and from our own individual desires.

Happy Birthday, America!