Veterans Day Tribute

I was searching for the history of Veterans Day when I came across this question someone posted on Yahoo! Ask. Either the girl was inquiring for a school research or just honestly did not know the answer I was intrigued to find out who answered her and what answer they gave. She posted this question:
“What do veterans sacrifice?”

What indeed? There were different kinds of people who posted replies: A former marine (Female, can I add; my kudos to her), a retired corporal, an army sergeant, regular civilians and civilians with family or friends that are veterans. People who answer questions on Yahoo! Ask are given points by the person who asked the question by choosing a best answer, and she gave her points to someone who answered such provocative a provocative inquiry with all of five words.

In my opinion, this was the best, most heartfelt, most truthful answer; “Well my husband is a Veteran. He sacrificed a year without me and our daughter. He sacrificed missing his daughter's bday (sic), his wife's bday (sic) 2 years in a row, Christmas, Thanksgiving 2 years in a row, holidays, his daughter's first day of school, his Civilian job, money (he made much more as a civilian than as a deployed soldier) , he missed the red Sox winning the World Series , he hasn't see his mom and dad and siblings in 4 years as they live in another country and he hasn't had the time. Those are just a couple.” And still another from a retired marine captain, “I sacrificed my hearing, my knees, 2 broken ankles, a ruptured disc (L4-L5) and several close friends.”

Spouses can go for years without their loved one, while parents dread a fateful visit at their door because it can only mean one thing. We’ve watched too many war movies that it has desensitized us from the reality of what our veterans go through in the field. It’s funny watching Tom Hanks running through makeshift jungles in a movie studio while Gary Sinise loses his legs and ends up a raging alcoholic. Meanwhile, someone out there knows what it felt like to be cold, for their skin to resemble prunes from the endless, pouring rain. Resigning themselves to their fate, they sat in the mud of an unfamiliar land wondering just how long it would last, while all they could think about is the comforts they’ve left behind for someone else’s sake. Now they have to live with those indelible memories.



 Hollywood has a knack for over-romanticizing it as well. Ben Afleck goes Missing in Action (MIA) and his best friend ends up impregnating his girlfriend after romping on the flight line. We’re used to the storyline that we neglect to understand that there is actually someone out there whose beloved is among countless others who never made it home and no one knows what happened to them. They will never have that closure, no chance to bury their dead and say good-bye in order to move on.

Don’t forget how Viet Nam veterans, after all they went through with the war, were poorly and inexplicably received because of the anti-war sentiments happening during that time. Let’s not let that happen again.

What do veterans sacrifice? More than those of us who are not one can understand. But for the sake of it I will enumerate some: Family, comforts, energy, time, mental health, physical bodies, and ultimately, their lives. All for the sake of others.

For fighting for our lives and for the freedom we sometimes take for granted, I salute you.