Veterans_Day

Beginning centuries before my time, many wars occurred between countries. Men were fighting to protect their native land, leaving their families for days, weeks, months, even years; some leaving and not even to return home. Progressing into latter years, wars became more and more frequent especially once a great nation was founded. Veterans Day means a lot more to me than just a Holiday that gets students a free day out of school. What Veterans Day means to me is courage, honor, and respect for all of the fallen soldiers, retired veterans, and soldiers who are still fighting today. It takes courage for men and women to dedicate their lives to fight for our country to maintain its freedom. Not many people are brave enough to sign their lives over, leaving their families with broken hearts and not knowing what may occur within the rigid journey they prepare to encounter. People don’t realize the hardships that go on through the duties and responsibilities a soldier is required to have. It takes courage to run past firing weapons of the enemy knowing they purposely want to end their lives. Courage is what makes them keep moving after they’ve seen their Conrad shot down and they have to leave them because they still have a task to accomplish. Courage is that of a soldier who still wakes up every morning with the determination and motivation that a country still has to be protected even when they deep down are scared out of their minds. Courage is the only thing they have to hold on to, to get them through their toughest days. Honor is also a part of what Veterans Day should entail from everyone throughout the United States on this day. The uniforms alone that the soldiers wear makes you gaze in awe at all the shiny brass they’ve worked hard to earn and present to their fellow peers. We honor those who have lost their lives defending us, the soldiers who have been tortured and beaten and the ones still fighting today. We also honor the ones who are still living to tell the stories of how they fought to break free or the ones who give their stories about how fighting in the war makes them appreciate life and freedom itself. We give the men and women honor because these people saw fit to set their own responsibilities aside and take on an even bigger task at hand. I give my up most respect to all the Veterans around the world. Not only because it’s what we do as Americans, but because I’ve had families members who fought in wars as well. One of the most important people in my life, my grandpa, is currently in Afghanistan today. He’s fought in the Vietnam and Korean War. My other grandfather fought in the Korean War as well. They could have easily been the one of the soldiers who didn’t have the chance to come back to their families and tell all about the war. I am very thankful for my grandfather and I appreciate the man the Army has made him. I understand the feeling of being worried that something may happen at any moment and I can’t do anything about it. Respect should be given to these men and women who dress in their uniforms on a daily basis with their motto being to Keep America safe. With that being said, Veterans Day may mean many different things to many different people around the United States and some people may not even care. But to me Veterans Day is a well-respected day that I think should be given on more than one day. Not for the benefits of no school, but for the much needed recognition of the soldiers who have fought and the ones that are still risking their lives today. These men and women are the reason we are able to have the freedom to do many of the things other countries don’t have and for that we all should be thankful.