They deserve a thank you

I used to go to the mall on Veterans Day with a friend of mine to say thank you to the veterans. We would stake out in the food court or in another central location and hail any ladies or gentlemen walking by who were wearing an armed forces hat, sweatshirt or other apparel. Maybe it made them feel weird to be accosted by two girls they didn’t know, but we wanted to let them know that they were appreciated and that their service was not forgotten.

As the years went on, we grew away from that quasi-tradition, but while we were getting older and busier, the members of our armed forces never stopped fighting to make sure we still had the freedom to keep doing what we wanted to do.

My grandfather served in the United States Army many years ago. Thankfully, he was never shipped overseas, but worked at an Army base stateside. He was willing to do his part to make sure that his future children and grandchildren never lost the freedom that they enjoyed and even took for granted. And he deserves a thank you.

My former co-worker Dave was shot while serving in the Vietnam War and received a Purple Heart for his sacrifice. He deserves a thank you.

My friend Abigail has spent several years in the Marines, moving from country to country documenting the efforts of her fellow service men and women. She deserves a thank you.

My friend’s husband, Randy and his two brothers are currently training to be Marine pilots and are preparing to travel overseas to join the war on terror. They deserve a thank you.

This coming Friday is Veterans Day. While you go about your busy life, take a moment to stop a veteran - whether or not you know him or her - and say thank you. Without their hard work overseas and here at home, we might not be where we are today.

I’ve heard a lot of criticism recently about the wars the United States is currently involved in; it’s easy to be an armchair critic and express personal opposition about the validity of war while being safe and warm at home. But it is much more difficult to take the fight personally and enter the unknown to ensure the freedom of others. And for that, I’d like to thank all of the veterans - both active and retired - reading this. Your service to this country and its peoples will not be forgotten. God bless you all!