Tonight, or tomorrow, if your neighbor is away visiting Aunt Edna, and you see somebody breaking into the house with no one home, local police will respond if you call 911 — working on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Tonight, or tomorrow, if you burn the turkey or roast, or knock over a candle too close to your natural tree, firemen will respond — working on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Tonight, or tomorrow, if Grandma trips over the open dishwasher and breaks her hip, paramedics or EMTs will respond — working on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

From South Korea to Afghanistan, from the world’s oceans to Kuwait, from Germany to Guantanamo Bay, the men and women of our armed forces are on the job, hoping for a quiet day — working on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Their support staff, in and out of uniform, show up for work. Our intelligence communities keep listening and watching.

A lot of our finest Americans don’t get much time off today and tomorrow. Thanks to all of them for their dedication and the sacrifices they make. Recent events have further illuminated the risks they take in their service to all of us.