It seems to me that there are two kinds of veterans: ones who will not talk about their time in the service and ones who will not talk about anything else. My grandad, “Papa,” was among the former. Seldom did he talk to me about his time in the military. I knew he served during World War II in the Philippines, but that was about it. Once, when I was very young, I asked him if he had won any medals. He said that he was hit by shrapnel in the face, and could have gotten the Purple Heart. He said he declined it because he did not want his family to think he had died in combat. After he passed away, I discovered his discharge papers and found that he had won the Bronze Star twice. Needless to say, I wish he had told me. He was always my hero, but I had no idea how much of a hero he was.
Human liberty is a gift of God. For believers, the concept is born out of the Imago Dei. Because every human is created in the image of God, every human has rights that should never, ever be infringed. Although these rights are born of being created by God, they were delivered to people through struggle. The brave men and women who wore the uniform of the armed forces have provided and maintained human liberty. In short, we have liberty because it was earned and kept by soldiers.
Today we celebrate Veteran’s Day. For many of us, today is a state holiday. For others, it is an opportunity to pursue our hobbies or to get started on Christmas shopping. However you spend your day, I hope you take some time to be grateful for those who made the kind of life you live possible. For me, I will think about Papa. I am grateful for the man he was, what he did for our country, and the role model he was for me.
If you are a Veteran or in active service, I thank you for your service. You have made the remarkable choice to live a life of sacrifice on behalf of the country. You deserve our respect and our gratitude. I hope this day you are afforded the dignity your sacrifice merits.
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