Editor’s Note: Teddy Roosevelt has always been one of my heroes.  He was a man of action who suffered no excuses. The other day as I was reading yet another story on how we are struggling to meet our minimum military enlistment requirements, I thought to myself, “What would old TR have to say about this?”  Fortunately, with a bit of help from Open AI I found out. The results are below. Enjoy! — GDM

My fellow Americans, this is Theodore Roosevelt speaking, the 26th President of the United States. A man known for my time as a Rough Rider and for upholding the values of courage, honor, and duty. It is with an air of urgency and concern that I address you today on a matter of national importance.

I have observed, with a growing unease, that our great nation is faced with a peculiar predicament. Today, we face a crisis that threatens the very fabric of our society, a crisis of will and of resolve. It appears that the young men of our nation are shying away from joining the service, from donning the uniform, and answering the call of duty. Now, this is not a matter to be taken lightly.