Patriot's Pen Contest Essay

From the front line of war on land to refueling planes in the sky, from the submarines that soar below the water and the battleships atop the blue seas, veterans of all classes, all backgrounds and all ethnicities should be honored for serving our country. Decisions they have made not only changed their lives forever, but our lives forever, as well. Risks that were taken in battles and combats have made all of the difference in our lives today, some helped in ways we may never know. America’s safety would be all lost without their protection, the time that they offered should not be taken for granted.
Veterans have offered their time, and were committed to something all other Americans had chosen to stray away from. As Dick Cheney, our present vice president, once said, “It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you.” All Veterans insure such liberties by protecting our free nation from outside forces. We can say we honor our country and care for all who reside in it, but all veterans do not seek the need to say so, because their actions speak louder than any words that could possibly be attempted. The works that veterans have done speak for their love for America and the noble stance they have toward their homeland. Honorable are all beyond what an award can grant. Their patriotism “is not short outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.” (Adlai Stevenson).
Steady dedication was given and their dedication to their country still stands today. If you stop to take a moment while you are with a veteran, you can feel the pride and joy they feel for their country ringing within them, something hard to suppress or contain. “This nation will remain the home of the free, as long as it is the home of the brave.” Brave are the veterans, honorable are the veterans, gracious are the veterans, and free they have made us.