Mollys Tribute to Veterans Why Veterans are Important to our Nation’s History and Future Veterans’ lives of sacrifice and perseverance perpetuate lessons vital to American honor and ideals. By abandoning their youth for the hardships of war, veterans allowed the generations that followed to cherish theirs. Veterans are the leaders of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, whose patriotism resulted in our free country which millions are proud to call home. These are the men and women who gave meaning to the word, the ones who allowed hope to fill the hearts of the lost and desperate when the name of this country was uttered: America. There are many admirable traits lost to our generation that were once found in every boy and girl of previous generations: selflessness, resilience, perseverance, bravery. These characteristics are prominent in every man and woman who once fought for a cause greater than themselves and who did it wholeheartedly and with fierce conviction. These are the ones who strengthened and built our country by waking up day after day knowing it could be their last; who pushed their minds and their bodies to the ultimate limit and refused to break even at the most trying times. These are the heroes that my generation looks up to. They show us what it means to be a true American. Through their stories and memories, our society passes down morals and ideals that prove valuable to today’s generation and those to come. One incredible story of resilience is Louis Zamperini’s, who fought in World War II in the United States Army Air Forces and whose life was outlined in Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken. Once a talented Olympic long distance runner, his fate quickly toppled after he enlisted in the Air Corps. After his bomber plane crashed over the Pacific Ocean, he survived for more than fifty days afloat a life raft, even after facing the circling of sharks, starvation, and the direct fire of a Japanese plane. When he at last met land, his happiness soon came to an end, as only a few weeks later he found himself in a prisoner of war camp. It was here he endured emaciation, abuse, and even two-hundred consecutive punches to the face. Despite the odds of his situation, he survived until the end of the war and was taken back home. It was only after the turmoil of a failing marriage, questioning the existence of God, and a long and trying battle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that Louis was able to gain his life back, and even his talent for running. Although Zamperini’s life is so unfathomable, it only goes to show that with resilience comes vitality. And this doesn’t only apply to people. It applies to society as a whole, especially American society. By writing down such stories of struggle and triumph, American ideals and beliefs are kept alive. By learning about the lives of our veterans, we can become more appreciative of our country’s past and more optimistic about its future. With just one man, resilience exists so profoundly that it has been turned into a book which has touched the lives of millions. This is the future of America. Connecting the past to the present to create a brighter and more thankful future is what veterans have done for our country. Rewinding back in time even further, veterans of the American Revolution are the basis of our free country today. They fought for an America free of British rule. The veterans of the1700s are who granted us the right to self-govern. The country we are living in today was once this nation’s tomorrow. Those who live, fight, and die for the cause of this country aren’t just important to the future- they create the future. They are the ones who set the dream in motion, and we are living out the dream for them as citizens of a free and independent nation. Veterans not only solidify our future as a free country but serve as the foundation for our textbooks. With every battle in American history, whether it was in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, First World War, or Second World War, came an understanding of our nation’s past and what that meant for our nation today and tomorrow. Every fighter and defender contributed toward the greater movement to preserve and uphold the honor of America. Nelson Mandela captured this idea of bravery when he said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” These words apply to every veteran who looked fear in the face and overcame it with the dream of a better nation. From the war of 1812 to the Iraq War, millions of soldiers have died in the name of America. This is courage. This is dedication. The actions of veterans have helped to shape America into a world power on the rise since our final declaration from Britain in 1814 after the Treaty of Ghent. The fighters and defenders of our country have ensured the success of our nation as a proud and independent motherland. America today boasts the world’s largest and most productive economy. America has some of the best universities in the world, including Yale and Harvard. Would our nation be as successful as it is today without our veterans? The answer is clearly no. These men and women had to undergo the treacheries of war to ensure their children and their children’s children live brighter tomorrows. Thanks to our veterans we are living in the brighter tomorrow every single day. It’s no wonder that the U.S. is the world’s top immigration destination with more than 40.8 million immigrants living in the U.S. in 2012. That’s almost twenty percent of all international migrants. It is by the resilience and dedication of America’s veterans that a better nation and a better world exist. Every sacrifice has resulted in the opportunity for another person. Their actions will never be forgotten or taken for granted. By recognizing their stories and struggles, our generation and those to follow will cherish the American ideals our veterans fought so hard to preserve and the idea that America is truly the land of opportunity for all. They will be remembered each morning when the sun rises on this great country, pride and remembrance found in every heart, freedom ringing through the air. Thank you to all our brave Veterans. Thank you.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 16:05:54 +0000
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