I entered this essay for the Patriot's Pen 2014-15 contest. The essay theme was: Why I Appreciate America's Veterans.
We appreciate our country’s veterans. It is a fact that most, if not all, Americans accept. However, we all have different reasons as to why. Most people say they appreciate these former members of the military because they fought for our freedom, and I agree with this. However, there is more to veterans than just that. These people came together to fight, despite their differences. That is what never ceases to amaze me. Most people overlook it, but their unity really does take true bravery.
The percentage of American veterans who are African American is less than twelve percent. Even smaller, fewer than eight percent of veterans are women. These people fought through more than war; they tore down the barriers that racism and sexism put up to fight for us. They fought as one, not as women and men or as African Americans and Caucasians. They did this because of their love for our country.
There are battles that millions of our veterans fought in, and there are others with only thousands. It does not matter, though. These different battles did mean different things for our country, but in the eyes of our veterans, they are all equally important. They are right; we just often do no see it that way. It takes somebody with true experience to understand.
There are many things you can do to honor our veterans. You can say the Pledge of Allegiance each morning. You can thank them for their services to our country when you see them in stores or other public places. I like to do these often, but if there is one thing I have learned, it’s that you have to be sincere. Do what you are doing out of respect and love for our country.
The percentage of American veterans who are African American is less than twelve percent. Even smaller, fewer than eight percent of veterans are women. These people fought through more than war; they tore down the barriers that racism and sexism put up to fight for us. They fought as one, not as women and men or as African Americans and Caucasians. They did this because of their love for our country.
There are battles that millions of our veterans fought in, and there are others with only thousands. It does not matter, though. These different battles did mean different things for our country, but in the eyes of our veterans, they are all equally important. They are right; we just often do no see it that way. It takes somebody with true experience to understand.
There are many things you can do to honor our veterans. You can say the Pledge of Allegiance each morning. You can thank them for their services to our country when you see them in stores or other public places. I like to do these often, but if there is one thing I have learned, it’s that you have to be sincere. Do what you are doing out of respect and love for our country.