From Lexington and Valley Forge to Normandy, Korea, and Vietnam—and now to Iraq and Afghanistan—America’s military forces have bravely fought for Freedom and in defense of our Nation. Veteran’s Day is a time to remember our fighting men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation with their very lives.
Let us not only take the time to remember the heroic sacrifices of our military throughout our nation’s history, but also to remember the heroic sacrifices our combat men and women are making in Iraq and Afghanistan today.
Let us take this time to pray for our troops who have died in battle, and for their loved ones who still mourn their great loss. Let us also pray for our troops who are in harm’s way today.
Below is a poem by Marine chaplain Father Dennis Edward O’Brien, which eloquently speaks to both the courage and the irony in the role our soldiers play in protecting our great nation:
It is the Soldier
It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protestor to burn the flag.
Watch a Powerful Video of American Veterans who have fought for OUR freedom