VETERANS ARE The biggest sacrifices veterans have made for their country do not just happen on the battlefield. They happen quietly, without fanfare, without recognition. They happen in small homes and living rooms, with only those left behind as witnesses. Everything a veteran must do is a sacrifice, from leaving behind their lives, to stepping onto the battlefield. The sacrifice of time is just as important as the bravery shown in war, and oftentimes much more difficult. These sacrifices are what make veterans special. Veterans became veterans because they possessed the honor, bravery, and patriotism that they needed to stand up for their country. These men and Women represent everything that we, as a nation, fight to protect, everything we value in life. Our honor, our liberty, our livelihood, lies with them. Our nation's veterans pledge their lives to our defense, so that, in their absence, we can continue to live in freedom, and enjoy our time in life. Veterans are separate from our everyday struggles. They represent our country as a whole, people of every belief coming together and standing strong. They do not pledge themselves to us simply because it is their duty. They have a deep-seated belief that this country is worth fighting for, and they volunteer to be the ones to step forward in its protection. The patriotism in their hearts is what allows everyday life to continue unimpeded; it is how they advance and do what they must for the good of the country as a whole, not just what they would want themselves. The veterans in our country show the most valued trait in civic virtue; selflessness, the ability to put their entire country before themselves as individuals. Veterans devote their entire lives to the improvement of society, in the hope that We do -EWEY VETERANS ARE SPECEALE not befall the same mistakes as those before us. Veterans are those who have volunteered themselves for their country, they are the people we salute every day, the men and women we respect in the highest honor. America's veterans choose their path knowing the difficulties it will hold, knowing the sacrifices they will be required to make, fully aware that they may never return, but safe in the knowledge that they are supported by their country. Our veterans are special because they alone understand the true cost of freedom, and are willing to pay that price so that our posterity may enjoy the benefits of that freedom, and so our country can continue its legacy far beyond our irnaginings. Marilise Stamps Extraordinary Veterans What makes veterans extraordinary is how ordinary they appear to be. Veterans might be sornebody's uncle, mother, daughter or brother. A veteran may be a father that teaches his son how to fix his car. A veteran could be a child's grandfather who turns down his hearing aid when he doesn't want to listen to his wife. What you don't realize is that the father's mechanical skills come from repairing a ship's engine for 25 hours straight during the Korean War, and the grandfather lost his hearing from artillery fire in World War i. The quiet, ordinary lives of veterans belie their courage and sacrifices they -made for this country. Not a lot of people could pick a veteran out from a crowd. They don"t walk around decked out in medals, or brag about what they have experienced. You can"t see what they've seen, or know what they know. All of this seems to be locked in a vault somewhere inside of them, and no one is allowed to see. How, then, are we supposed to distinguish these veterans from ordinary people? How are we supposed to honor t-hem for what they've accomplished for our country through courage and valor? Can it be that veterans don"t expect us to recognize them for what they've done? Veterans could just be exceptional people who don"t seek exceptional treatment. Look around you. Look for that ordinary individual that may not be so ordinary. Look for that person who doesn't stand out in a crowd but deserves to. Look for that selfless individual who gave more than most of as dream of giving. Recognize that person who didn't seek recognition. You never know, that mother, father, daughter, brother, or grandfather may be a veteran, and veterans are extraordinary no matter how ordinary they appear to be. Grant Doc Hastings once said, "we owe our World War it veterans - and all our veterans -- a debt we can never fully repay." But why is this? Why do we owe people that we don't even know? Could the reason be because of the sacrifices they made or the bravery they showed? Couid it be for the tough times they have gone through and still have to go through? Maybe we owe our veterans for a much simpler reason. Maybe we owe them for not being extra ordinary, but for being extraordinary. Maybe we owe veterans simply for being special. it/lany people ask why others risk their lives. Countless stories have been told about people iosing not just their lives, but their iimbs, identity, and even their mentai abilities. The question is, therefore, why risk even the chance of this happening? Why not let others fight while you just sit back and watch? Many people choose to sit back, but what makes veterans special is that they chose to go into action. Some might have enlisted because of the influence of farniiy; others, because they feit that they had to protect themselves or their iovecl ones. Some veterans chose to enlist in the armed services because they felt patriotic. There are many reasons why veterans have chosen to join the ry, but that doesn't mean any reason is less special than the others. Anytime anyone risks losing themselves for the purpose of the greater good, it is special. Veterans have done this time and time again in their lives. This continuous act results in changing others' lives. Country artist Keith Urban wrote a song saying, "l would give my i would make that sacrifice. Cause if it came down to it, couid i take the buliet, yes i would. For you." Many people don't have the type of bravery to take a bullet for another person or group of people. imagine strapping on boots that you know could be torn right off your feet. imagine jumping out of an airplane behind enemy lines. imagine living on a US aircraft carrier fearing the threat of underwater mines every day. Think of the bravery it would take to be in any of those scenarios. Many veterans have their own memories iike Gmr?r Syi