They

They are the fathers, the mothers, the sons, and the daughters. They are the plumbers, doctors, teachers, and electricians. No matter what part of the mixing pot Uncle Sam may dip his ladle into, They are there. And when their country called, when the world cried out – They are the ones who answered. They are the ones who went to war, even war within themselves. They fought rejection, doubt, insecurity, and fear. Even when They had been given nothing, They gave everything.

These men and women embody the pillars of American culture: freedom, strength, self-determination, and independence. Not only do They exude these values, They uphold them. One of the great men of our past, Abraham Lincoln, once said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” When the walls begin to crumble and the roof begins to crack, the pillars stand strong. Time and again, when our country starts to collapse under pressure – external and internal – They stand firm.

From sea to shining sea, They have loved, They have fought, and They have died. Even when the land is foreign and the people are not their own, They have shown compassion, solicitude, tolerance, and benevolence. But do not mistake such characteristics as weaknesses. They know that evil is there and are always ready to face it down. They stare it in the eyes. They will not back down from it. They are never the aggressors, but They will never regress. They are the embodiment of peace through strength.

They have seen the horrors, atrocities, barbarity, and savagery that a fellow human can commit. Many relive these moments every day of their lives. Their battle is within, a battle of the mind. It is a battle They face alone; one we will never understand. Yet, despite this, They stand strong. They raise their families, excel at their jobs, and help their neighbors. They do not make excuses when it gets hard. They pull themselves up by their bootstraps and push through. They inspire each and every one of us to work harder, care more, and cherish our relationships.

They show us the true meaning of sacrifice. The sacrifices They make are not only on the battlefield. They sacrifice their relationships, careers, and dreams so that others may live. They have been without so that we can be with. They show us what it means to serve their fellow Americans – a quality that is lacking in almost all of us. The necessary quality of selflessness for a prosperous society to exist is becoming more and more distant, as we begin to have more and more.

They instill in us the impeccable values that have defined America since July 4, 1776: independence, freedom, strength, sacrifice, self-determination, equality, hard work, and patriotism. They have seen the places where these values have gone awry and the consequences that come due to the lack of these values. Like a ship that goes off course and needs the captain to correct the rudder, adjust the sails, and check the maps, They are there to correct the course of America and guide us to success, security, and longevity.

They are soldiers, sailors, and airmen. They are the Marines, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Coast Guard, and the National Guard. They are the Veterans of the United States Armed Forces. They are the ones for whom we will forever be grateful.

(Digital Editor's Note: This article was published first in the November 2023 print edition of The Stand. 

Reed Russell (author) is from Tupelo, Mississippi, and is currently a freshman at Mississippi College in Clinton. He wrote this essay as a senior in high school and received first place in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post district essay scholarship competition in May 2023).