Thank you Veterans

What makes America the “land of the free and the home of the brave?" Is it the beautiful rolling hills or the breathtaking snow-capped mountain? While these are all factors that add to the American legacy, the most important is freedom. Freedom is what so many men and women fought for and gave their lives. Unfortunately, freedom is often taken for granted or forgotten about. But we must never forget the sacrifice made by these heroic people.

We are very lucky to live here. We are lucky enough to be able to go to school, choose the career that we wish to have, and be able to raise a family with whomever we choose. We have you to thank, our veterans, because of you, and all the brave men and women who fought for this country, we get to live each day as free men and women living, laughing, working, and loving as free American citizens.

Steve Buyer once said, “Twenty-five million veterans live among us today. These men and women selflessly set aside their lives to put on the uniform and serve us.” He is correct. You bravely put on the uniform and marched into battle, not knowing what challenges you might face. You made one of the most courageous decisions I have ever known. While only one day is dedicated to veterans, we must never forget the sacrifice you made. We owe you all a debt we can never fully repay.

Thank you. Thank you for the sacrifice you made. Thank you for accepting the responsibility to defend this country and uphold our values. I cannot say thank you enough because the choice you made greatly impacted the world. I can only hope that one day I may be half as strong as you. So with that, I end with the wise words of John Hoeven, “From the world wars of Europe to the jungles of the far East, from the deserts of the Middle East to the African continent, and even in our own hemisphere, our veterans have made the world a better place and America the great country it is today.” Thank you.

Sabrina, eighth grade