A Veteran

To have served in the military is an honor that anyone who has done so understands. It doesn’t matter if you were drafted or volunteered, you were there to be counted and you learned about sacrifice and humility. You found out that you were just one small insignificant part of a great team but that the team only worked if each part did their job. You may have been asked to risk your life or even take the life of another and then just as suddenly go back to being just an average person, a guy or girl taking their kids to a little league game. On Veterans Day you seldom think about yourself, you think about your buddies who became your family, you think about those who have passed on. You never out live your pledge to our Country and our Constitution, ask most Vet’s and they will tell you they’re ready if needed.

What is a Veteran?

Just who is a Veteran, why is he or she different from others?  A United States Military Veteran is a person who pledged his life to protect others.  They actually signed a document offering to give their lives in the defense of our Nation.  Many suffered radical injuries, lost limbs, eyesight & traumatic brain injuries in the process of serving their Country.  A great many have given their all & died as a result of their service.  I am a Veteran, fortunately my service didn’t cause me to suffer these traumatic wounds or to suffer any mental difficulties.  Does that mean my service was any less important to the cause of freedom?  When one signs the contract to enter the service you do so with the complete understanding that you are pledging your life to the cause of freedom.  One never knows where this will lead them.  I don’t pretend to be a hero just because I’m a Veteran, the heroes are the ones who have left blood on the battlefield.  The majority of Veterans are just like me, normal everyday working stiffs who just believe in freedom and were willing to fight for that privilege.  I think most of us feel awfully lucky when we see our brothers and sisters who have suffered such devastating trauma.  I still feel proud when someone says ( Thank you for your service.)  Sometimes I feel embarrassed in the company of a wounded Vet or the parents who lost a son or daughter wondering what they must feel about those of us who served and survived.  I guess that little bit of guilt prays on all of us at one time or another but the belief in God and the knowledge that his plan is what decides how our lives evolve gives us comfort.  I can tell you that judging by the people I know who have served in the Military no matter what branch deserve your praise, they are proud of their service no matter where it led them.  Most would serve again if the country needed them even those from their wheelchairs. 

Support your Veterans specially those who carry the wounds of war in their heads and on their bodies.