The faith of a warrior | Independence Day Special

One might think that explaining the concept and meaning of patriotism would come easy to a soldier. After all, we are the most visible symbols of a group that displays its commitment towards the country by being forever ready to sacrifice lives for the nation's honour.

However, in today's world, where 'patriotism' and 'nationalism' are often used interchangeably-and the subject has acquired an emotive character-defining patriotism is no longer simple. Personal biases may also creep in, and it could be argued that my perception of patriotism could be completely different from another soldier's.

A possible way around this predicament is to look at the issue of patriotism from an organisational, rather than individual, perspective.

The military is not an ad hoc group of people, but a profession with a unique and distinct character. Morris Janowitz, in his classic work, The Professional Soldier, states, '[A] profession