Be Thankful for Freedom this Veterans Day
And I’m proud to be an American…
…where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the ones who died who gave that right to me. And I’ll gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today. Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land, God Bless the USA. – Lee Greenwood, Songwriter
I am proud to be an American. There is no doubt in my mind that we live in the greatest country in the world. We are very fortunate to enjoy many liberties. We are free, and I for one, am very thankful for my freedom.
On this Veterans Day, as our nation decompresses from a highly contentious race to the White House, let us celebrate this historic day by honoring the brave men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
Think of the sacrifices made by our veterans, past and present. Our history is steeped with the stories of every person who has contributed to make America the great nation it is.
Like my father, Roger Curth, who served in Vietnam and missed my birth and sadly, the first six months of my life. Or my grandfather, George Beckel, whom my grandmother said “he came back so changed” from his time in World War II.
Through a previous job at a local newspaper, I had the sincere great privilege to interview and share the stories of six World War II veterans: Billy Blanks, Harold Bouler, Robert Darino, Henry Oestreich, Jim Veech, and Donald Weber. Each serving in the same war on behalf of the United States; each with a very different experience and story to tell.
I know that three of these fine men have since passed, one recently, but their stories and the impact they had on defending America lives on.
We are a great nation. In many other parts of the world, there is little freedom. We hear this but I believe it is often overlooked at just how much we have and frequently take for granted. It is a privilege to be able to vote for our leader.
As you go about your day and enjoy making decisions—from as small as what you plan to eat or what you want to watch on television, to making a life-altering decision—take a moment to remember the cost of that freedom.
I’d like to end with this quote from Dan Lipinski, Illinois Congressman:
On this Veterans Day, let us remember the service of our veterans, and let us renew our national promise to fulfill our sacred obligations to our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much so that we can live free. – Dan Lipinski
Post by Suzan Kurdak, former FLVS Communications Specialist