what does a veteran mean to me essay

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What Does a Veteran Mean to Me? Essay

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Coalition of Veterans Organizations

Leave no veteran behind.

What It Means to be a Veteran

Being a U.S. military veteran also means you were willing to fight and die in service to this country. It meant being separated from friends, family and loved ones. It meant giving up control of your life to others and having to trust your well-being to them. It meant risking life and limb and potential (permanent) injury, either to complete a mission, help your buddies fighting alongside you or just in doing what you were supposed to do. It meant you took an oath to ‘Support and Defend the Constitution of the United States’… and lived up to your part of the bargain. Since there is no longer a military draft in this country, it meant you voluntarily signed up.

Why in the hell would you or anyone volunteer for this?

Was it a deep desire to serve your country? Or was it for the benefits you were promised such as furthering or continuing your education? Maybe it was learning something new, that sounded interesting to you? Or maybe (like me) you saw no better options in your life at the time. Possibly you were done with school, or dropped out; maybe you were unemployed and the idea of free food, housing and a steady paycheck were too tempting? Probably it was all or most of these along with the promises from your recruiter which made it sound even better. Were you talked into becoming a technician, plotting safe routes or supply lines in and out for the troops? Or a pilot? Maybe you were a combat cook, figuring out how to feed your troops with dwindling supplies? Maybe you were ‘just’ a grunt. Or any one of the hundreds of other jobs, thinking you would be better off after your service, when you discharged.

Were you thinking the same way as you huddled down in your foxhole with your head between your knees, hearing the impact of bullets, or the explosions going off all around? When the overwhelming smells of blood, piss, smoke and yes fear almost knocked you out. Were your thoughts still on what you were going to do when you got out, or were they closer to if you got out of there alive? What were you thinking as you heard screams and prayers coming from the foxholes around you? It doesn’t matter! It doesn’t matter, as long as you served and served with honor. Every military job has it’s risks. What ever the reason; whatever military job you had and whether or not you served on active duty or as a reservist, whether or not you saw or were involved in any actual combat, you could have and that is what counts. As a Vietnam veteran once said, “you had your ass on the line”. Again, that is what counts. You are a military veteran, you served with honor and yes you do expect certain things for it, from your government and/or the people you helped and/or served, or just from your fellow citizens. That bargain you upheld from when you took ‘The Oath’ to when you received your honorable discharge, came with expectations by you also. In the book “Starship Troopers” by Robert Heinlein, only military veterans had earned the right to vote. As a U.S. military veteran you are not asking for that or any additional rights, but:

You expect to be respected. You don’t need to be saluted or ‘thanked for your service’ all the time, but maybe it’s nice to hear on Veteran’s or Memorial Day. You expect your veteran status to look good on a resume or application. Yes, you want to be hired or accepted based on your qualifications, but being a veteran should help, not hurt in that. You expect help if and when you need it. You helped enough people during your service (your entire country and maybe other ones as well).

Not everything in life goes perfectly or according to plan. Did your plans include marriage or starting and raising a family? Use your VA home loan to buy a house? Were you going to get that college degree and then start your chosen career? Or put the skills you learned in the military to use? Did your marriage fall apart or the career you envisioned never come to pass? Or possibly the injuries or trauma you experienced (mental or physical) catch up with you and prevent you from achieving your goals. Where did you turn for help? Friends, family or a ‘grateful’ government? Too many veterans either didn’t have these options or the help wasn’t enough and they ended up poor, hurt or for some, hungry and homeless.

That shouldn’t happen but it does! The biggest problem with not getting help is that there are so many that need help, way too many. Yes there are a lot of generous people and organizations that try; but there are never enough of them, and/or never enough money for those that need. Yes, the Government tries to help; and there are lots of dedicated government employees who try to (believe it or not), but whether it is red tape, inefficiency or lack of funding or any of myriad other reasons, government help cannot always be counted on. Too many veterans are still on the street or hurting, any help from any people or organizations is always appreciated.

by Larry Shields All rights reserved by author

• Association
• 398th History

What Does an American Veteran Mean to Me?

By derek frankhouser.

American Veterans are role models to me. They make me proud of my country. They fill me with reverence. They are a source of inspiration to me. An American veteran sets an honorable example for me to follow.

A veteran creates in me pride for my country. I am proud to be a part of a country that someone would respect enough to willingly endanger their life to protect its values. These brave persons committed themselves to preserving the ideals of our country. Simply knowing of a veteran’s dedication leads me to consider how meaningful the values of our country truly are. As I come to respect these American values as much as they have, I begin to appreciate them more clearly. This appreciation for my country’s values makes me proud to be a part of it.

A veteran spurs me to have reverence. Whether they know it or not, veterans have positively affected me. Without their sacrifice, the world I know may have been drastically changed. Veterans were prepared to die for their cause. Many witnessed terrible things and endured incredibly strenuous situations. All veterans and especially the honorable persons that do not remain with us today have paid in full the high price for freedom and the life we all know in America. Considering the enormity of what veterans have accomplished brings me to greatly appreciate and admire them.

A veteran inspires me. In their days of duty, they were motivated to fight for things they held in the utmost importance. Today, I am in wonder of the dedication veterans held for their cause. This feeling of wonder drives me to apply their attitude toward their obligations to my way of life. This attitude is to work hard and to not be hindered by doing what I believe is right and true.

I consider veterans to be of the highest quality of role models. Veterans encourage me to love my country. They fill me with great respect for them. And finally, veterans inspire me to live a life dedicated to the things I believe to be right.

The Amvets  organization in Pennsylvania encouraged school students to write essays about American military veterans. The essay that follows won the first prize of $100 at Amvets Post 19 in Lancaster, PA. It was written by Derek Frankhouser, who at the time was a high school sophmore at Lancaster Christian School in that community. Derek is the grandson of Bill Frankhouser of our 603rd Squadron.

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Veterans Day — Why Is Veterans Day Important

Why is Veterans Day Important

• Categories: Veterans Veterans Day

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Words: 609 |

Published: Sep 5, 2023

Words: 609 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

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Expressing gratitude and recognition, historical remembrance and reflection, fostering national unity, continued commitment to support.

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