What does it mean to be a veteran, many may ask this question, but only the few of us know the answer. We all took the oath to defend this country under many different circumstances. We enlisted to gain money for a college education, see the world, family tradition, to escape the world of drugs or a unhealthy upbringing. But what makes us different is that we understood the risks involved when we raised our right hand. We understood that death was as much part of the job, as honor and valor, but did so anyways.
There is many different branches we could’ve served with, marines, army, airforce, navy, or coast guard. Whatever choice we made, was because that particular branch had the qualities we as an individual agreed with the most. And though there are differences in our titles, we are still veterans, and are still Americans.
Throughout history the sacrifices of the brave have been memorialized, but after the days turn to weeks, than to months, than to years, than to decades. The faces of the fallen get blended into the pages of history and no longer are the names meaningful to the public. We as veterans however, immortalized those who came before us, and hope that those who come after us, we immortalize us and our sacrifices.
America has been through many battles in its short blip on the world’s spectrum, but we have built a superpower that would terrify the Mongals, the Huns, the Romans, and the Persians. But this embodiment wasn’t built based on the ideas of one or a few men. Though our founding fathers such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Ben Franklin were great men, their message would’ve been nothing more than a whisper in history if it weren’t for brave men and women who took up arms for a just cause and defend their new nation. We today still carry on that tradition. We have fought our mother nation, we fought ourselves, we fought Germany in two separate World Wars, Japan, Italy, Korea, Vietnam, stared down the Red Bear and the Red Dragon, we fought in the sands to destroy a tyrant. We have fought against drug lords, war lords, mass murderers, and etc. etc., yet still the only thing that has changed since the Revolutionary War, was technology. The heroism in the young men and women, never wavered no matter who the enemy was.
Love one and another, take care of one and another. We are all equals who went through Hell to claim our titles, and though there maybe some sibling rivalry between the marines, army, navy, air force, and coast guard, but that is just what we are brothers and sisters. If you noticed another veteran of the Navy and you were in the Army getting harassed by a few drunks at a bar, would you not stand up for them as if they were your own flesh and blood?
Something to think about and something to give us all some motivation and some words of encouragement, even when times can seem their darkest, you know that you have prevailed through worse, and to lose somebody to suicide or a hateful act, only benefits our enemies. Though the war may have ended long ago, they can still be collecting casualties as the years tick by. Ensure we all live long happy lives, if you see a veteran having hard times, take a moment, one moment from your life to help him out. No matter the smallest assistance you may offer, it is still that refreshing feeling of receiving reinforcements on a battle that looked to be lost.
Semper Fi
Sgt. Johnson