Lt. Colonel Oliver North is a combat decorated marine, a best-selling author, a syndicated columnist, and the host of War Stories on the Fox News Channel.

He served in Vietnam and was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and two Purple Heart medals.

He's quick to praise America's men and women who serve in the military.

"I say the word hero to a young person... and I know I've conjured up the idea of someone who does wear a spandex suit, cape, flies and all that. I remind people the classical definition of a hero is someone who puts themselves at risk for the benefit of others," said Lt. Col. North.

Colonel North knows first-hand what those in the military are facing. He still travels overseas as part of his job as a military analyst for Fox News Channel.

"I have an advantage that a lot of our colleagues don't and that is I speak the language and I know when to duck and they know that," he says.

"The young men and women who serve in our military today are brighter, they're better educated, they are better trained, they're bigger, tougher than anything that any military has seen in history," said Lt. Col. North.

While not everyone agrees with the operations in the Middle East, Colonel North says it's still important to support all of our service members, whom he calls heroes.

"Honoring heroes isn't glorifying war, honoring heroes is something we as a nation need to do because a nation without heroes doesn't have a future," said Lt. Col. North.

Colonel North is also the founder of Freedom Alliance, an organization that provides support to military families here at home.