VOICE OF DEMOCRACY
"My Role in Honoring America’s Veterans"
by Nathan Bracher,
Winner 2007-2008 Bloomingdale VFW Post 7539 VOD Contest
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My many roles include being a son, brother, cousin, grandson, friend, and a student. I also have the privilege of playing a role in honoring America’s veterans. Veterans possess many admirable traits, such as courage, perseverance, discipline, selflessness, and patriotism. My whole life, thus far, has been one of freedom—freedom purchased for great sacrifices from men and women I’ve never known. I owe more than I could ever repay to those who gave for my liberty and protection.
Courage is known as fortitude; it is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty or intimidation, and discouragement. This definition describes a veteran’s ability to manage danger and depicts a state of mind with which danger and fear are faced with confidence. Nothing in my life has required this level of courage. I honor each veteran, past, present and future for courage to face the unknown for me and for America, my home.
Perseverance is persistent determination; steadfast pursuit of an aim. This virtue is modeled through physical challenges and by achieving goals with unwavering pursuit. I have perseverance when training for wrestling and gymnastics. The regime is intense, and I am pushed beyond my perceived limits. This, however, is nothing compared to those who have been in pursuit of, or pursued by an enemy in a life-threatening situation. I honor each of America’s veterans, past, present and future for perseverance in preparation to protect me and then implementing their knowledge.
Discipline is any training intended to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral, physical, or mental development in a particular direction. Veterans have exceptional discipline and have been taught to respect authority, follow specific directions, and function within a structured schedule. One can only dream of being this disciplined--a dream that inspires me to train to be my best. I honor each of America’s veterans, past, present, and future for their will-power.
Selflessness is the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others. Our society is self centered and the media conveys a “me first” attitude. America’s veterans epitomize altruism—a stark contrast to the world’s view. My perspective is positively influenced by this large degree of surrender. I honor each of America’s veterans, past, present, and future for his or her choice to be selfless.
Patriotism is love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it. What do I consider worthy of sacrifice? Am I or would I be willing to give up that which is most valuable to me? What is most valuable to me? Life is invaluable and this is what American veterans have given up and are giving up for me, for my country. I have given the gift of life by giving blood. An interesting, but sobering statistic is that someone needs blood every three minutes. I am honored to have impacted another’s life through my sacrifice. I honor each of America’s veterans for his or her love of America and the sacrifices made for my life.
My role in honoring America’s veterans is influenced by the veterans’ examples. I am developing courage by facing my fears with confidence. Perseverance is an innate quality I intend to develop through life. Discipline is an attribute I aspire to improve. Selflessness is counter-cultural, but a quality I admire and hope to emulate increasingly more. I continue to learn about Patriotism and hope to develop this quality to the degree of America’s veterans. I honor America’s veterans, past, present and future by modeling their virtues in the battlefield of life.