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By: Nathan Lund   
    Everyone has a role in honoring America’s veterans.  My role has been honoring my uncle I never knew. His name was Larry Bond. He was killed in the Vietnam War.  Sometimes I think about what it would be like to have him alive, a surviving veteran.
    My mom told me a few things about him.  He was eight years older than she was and a straight A student.  He was also the star of his high school cross country team.  She told me how he would sometimes take her on dates for fun.  Later on, he started college with a scholarship but then he quit school and joined the army. My moms’ parents weren’t happy about that.  He went to the OCS (Officer Candidate School) and became a 2nd Lieutenant at only 20 years of age.  He was then shipped to Vietnam as a Forward Observer. My mom’s parents were very worried.  They would watch the Vietnam news every night, and he sent a lot of letters.  As a Forward Observer, he had to go ahead of everyone to find the enemies’ location.  One day he climbed a hill to see the whole area and told the location of the enemy, right before he was shot.  Then his battalion was able to fire missiles; they destroyed the whole other fleet.  My Uncle received the Purple Heart.  It was very sad.  He died on June 9th, 1968 at the age of twenty.
    I sit here sometimes and imagine if he were here.  Would he tell stories of the war?  Or would he just keep quiet about it?  I think about the things he could have been throughout his life and the things he could have done.  My questions cannot be answered.
    My mom remembers how it was when she found out he had died.  It was a Sunday afternoon and she was sitting on the floor playing a game of Solitaire.  Her parents were watching a movie called “The Flame over India.”  All of a sudden her dad jumped out of his chair yelling, “NO! NO! NO!” at the window.  Then, someone in uniform knocked at the door.  My grandmother started to cry.  My mom didn’t even know what was going on until the door opened and there was a man who said,” The US Army regrets to inform you that your son was killed in action.”  After he left, everyone started to cry. Her other older brother, 17-year old Rich, drove away for some time to think alone.  After Rich graduated high school, he volunteered, joined the Military Police, and went to Vietnam. Rich returned home okay.
     Weeks after the news of Larry’s death, his body finally arrived, and they had the funeral early in July.  He was in a glass-covered coffin because he had been dead for some time, and one of his hands was bandaged.  The family was lucky to have the whole body instead of just a foot or a hand.  It was a very sad time, and my mom’s parents never really recovered. 
    I find it sad that it was so long ago, because my mom can’t really even remember what Larry looked like as a person.  She thinks about him every June 9th, when he died, and every July 28th, which was his birthday. It was very weird for her when she was twenty-one and twenty-two and so on, because to her, he was still twenty. 
    If he were alive, he’d be sixty this year, and it’s weird to think about the man he might have become.  Would he be married?  Would he have kids?  Would I have more cousins?  Would he be someone I like?  But, sometimes, I do think how lucky I am to have not only one veteran to honor, but two.  To honor them, my family has put flowers and flags on Larry’s grave on Memorial Day.  Other times we’ve visited Rich because we enjoy his company.  Those are a few ways we have honored them, but at times we could do more.  So for me, it’s not just writing about my role in honoring America’s veterans.  It’s a question of how can I honor my uncles more?  This is a question we should all ask ourselves.

 

 

 

By Stephany Zimmerman
I see all sorts of people, while working at our local KOA campground. I ask them if they have a discount card. Normally they say no and throw out a few organizations that might give them some sort of discount. I normally hear the same things: AARP, Good Sam, AAA, and so on, but on a rare occasion, I hear, “military.”
I pause and take a better look at them, noticing their shaky hands, the “buzz cuts” that they still sport from old habit. Sometimes I run across an old Military ID. when asking for identification. I always try to say “Thank you” for their services, knowing that they don’t hear it enough. I don’t necessarily see veterans that often, and even if I do, I have no idea for what they have done for our country.
I wish I could do more than a simple thank you, but in truth I remember my great grandfather, who was a veteran of World War Two.  He never spoke about what he went through during his services. Whenever it was mentioned, he’d purse his lips, cross his arms and look away, pretending that he didn’t hear.  And, of course, there is the complete opposite, those who proudly admit that they’re veterans. These veterans warmly nod and say, “You’re welcome.”
But, not everybody shows their appreciation towards the very people who fought for our great country and friends.  Each year veterans are forgotten more and more on Veterans Day, the very day that honors them.  Each passing year, people are taught less and less about the people who fought for us and our country.  I think that children need to be taught the importance of remembering. Too many of us have forgotten.
For example, at my school, hardly anyone stands for the Pledge of Allegiance, or for the National Anthem at assemblies. In all our history classes we discuss the political reasons and consequences of wars, but we say nothing about the people who have fought them and died in them. All we get are dry facts, dates, and politically hardened social events. Even without meaning to, we forget, but we shouldn’t.  We need to come together and remember.
Something should be done. Starting with even one person, this forgetful tide could turn.  But someone needs to start.  If each of us comes to realize the power we hold within ourselves, change will happen. Change will happen when we say thank you with every opportunity.  Change will happen when motivated teachers inspire young minds to open discussions on the people who fought overseas.  Change will happen when each of us makes an effort.  But someone needs to step up and be the first to make that change. With that, someone else could follow their footsteps, and we could come together as a nation and remember.  The power of one is strong.  And I am willing to be number one.
 

 

By Julie Perkins
             If you were to walk up to an average American and ask him what day is Veterans Day, would you get an answer?  The sad truth is many people just don’t know, or they just don’t care.   When we Americans hear the word “veteran” today, we think not of a person who risked his life to help keep our country protected and free from being invaded and overthrown.  Instead, we raise a common image of old men, grandparents, average people with a few interesting stories to tell.  Our veterans today, unfortunately, are sadly unappreciated by the people they risked and sacrificed their lives for.   
 So, who’s to blame for the lack of interest in our American veterans?  Is it our school systems, the mind-washing media?  Or is there a lack of parenting and teaching in our American households?  In school, when students like me hear that it’s almost Veterans Day, we don’t jump up and get ready to respectfully celebrate our veterans.  But we do get excited, because Veterans Day means we get another day off from school.  Days off mean we get to stay home and watch television all day.  Oh sure, we learn a lot from the media, but the media does a poor job of portraying our veterans.  Movies like “Happy Gilmore” make a mockery of veterans.  The media does little to nothing to help raise awareness of our vets and their priceless contributions.  In many families, some of our grandparents, and maybe even their parents, have, at one time or another, served in a U.S. war.  They became American veterans.  A soul in your family might actually be an American veteran!  The privilege of knowing and being able to share ideas and thoughts with a veteran of your very own is an awesome opportunity.  You could learn much about our incredible history firsthand.
If you are not that lucky, that gives you no excuse to ignore or disrespect our country’s finest citizens.  Parents, in this case, should do more to help teach their children about who veterans are and why we celebrate them.  Parents should unfold flags on Veterans Day and raise them proudly in our families’ yards to help people remember what Veterans Day is all about.    Practicing these important patriotic rituals does take some time and planning.  But, we really do need to stop and take the time to reflect on veterans. 
We have a duty as American citizens to honor these veterans, not just on November 12th, but every time we see an American flag waving free.  When we stand up and place our hands over our hearts for the National Anthem at a recreational event, we need to think respectfully of the men and women who helped make that entertaining event possible.  Not only that: These are the people who helped make America possible. 
    So, the next time I meet a veteran, I will shake his/her hand and say, “Thank you for serving our country; I really appreciate it.”  I will honor veterans by politely recognizing and listening to them.  I don’t have to agree with the wars that they fought in, or the policies that were in place at the time.   I don’t have to respect the governments or the politicians either, but I do need to respect the soldiers.  Freedom is precious, and those who protect it and sacrifice for it deserve our highest praise and thanks.
 Even as a young child, I remember watching a show on the Independent Film Channel once with my father.  They showed a documentary that was portraying veterans on Veterans Day.  One part in particular stuck in my mind.  A college drama class in Kentucky was performing a play for Veterans Day.  It was about the Vietnam War.  It was expected that not many people were to show up, but surprisingly many people did attend, and, in fact, most were veterans.  As I watched this play, I watched the reactions from the veterans as well.   Even through the eyes of this child, I began to understand their pain and how the play became a sort of healing device for veterans.  Each night the audience would fill with dozens of veterans, many of them returning night after night to relive – and relieve – their experiences through the actors.  After the show, they participated in very emotional post-show discussions.  It was extremely powerful, and I will never forget it.
    Another “veteran moment” impacted me when I was in 5th grade.   9/11 happened.  A couple years later I finally understood what was going on, and, for the first time in my life, I wanted to do more for the soldiers.  I helped gather food for a canned food drive.  That food would go to the many soldiers fighting in the Iraq War.  Lending a hand to these brave men and women was truly one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.  I know that they do not have to do this work, and I am grateful for theses volunteers who defend this great nation in military service.  Because they don’t ask for much, I will give them at least the praise that they deserve.  I will make sure that they know they are not forgotten.  I will honor them and be thankful, always, for their sacrifices, for they have made – and still make -- a world of difference.