You can debate whether the Jets' Woody Johnson is actually a competent NFL owner. But this is inarguable: Johnson has dedicated large chunks of his time (and considerable fortune) over the years to charitable endeavors.

Johnson, who has championed the causes of finding cures for lupus and diabetes, did something very nice for a seriously wounded Army veteran this week.

On Wednesday, three days before July Fourth, Sgt. Adam Keys received the keys to his new, customized "smart home" in Annapolis, Md. The home will allow Keys to live independently.

Johnson attended the ceremony Wednesday. A $1 million gift last July from Johnson and the Jets enabled the construction of two smart homes for wounded veterans.

Keys' home was one of these projects. The other is an in-construction home in Staten Island, N.Y., for Army Sgt. Bryan Dilberian. Keys and Dilberian were both critically wounded by improvised explosive devices while in combat. Keys sustained his injuries almost five years ago in Afghanistan.

According to a press release announcing Keys' ceremony, a wounded veteran's smart home uses "special technology" to let the veteran "manage day-to-day tasks without depending on others."

Upon announcing his donation last year, Johnson said in a press release, "These veterans have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and deserve a home that supports their specific physical needs, to enable them to live independently."

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The organization that builds these smart homes is the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, named in honor of a New York City firefighter who died on 9/11. By the end of 2015, 42 homes for wounded veterans will have been constructed, had ground broken for, or planned.

So while Johnson and the Jets received plenty of criticism for accepting taxpayer money for salutes to National Guard members, Wednesday was a case of Johnson giving back -- in a meaningful, tangible manner -- to someone who served his country.

As you kick your feet up Friday, with a (likely) day off work for July Fourth, gestures like Johnson's -- and many others that help wounded veterans -- are worth acknowledging, regardless of your stance on the United States' broader war strategies for which these men volunteered to risk their lives and bodies.

Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.