A Tradition of Service: A Salute to Veterans Day
by Lexi Mallory, RT junior
According to Richard Wagner, “A military or an armed force is a professional organization formally authorized by a sovereign state to use lethal or deadly force and weapons to support the interests of the state” (“The Ultimate Guide to the U.S. Armed Forces”). The American Armed Force consists of branches such as an Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Just why would someone want to devote four years, at the very least, of their life in service to his or her country? There are many reasons.
Wanting to serve his country in the best way he knew, my grandfather, Tony Loewy, joined the Coast Guard in 1976 as a cook & an electrician. He served during of the Vietnam & Gulf Wars recently retiring in 1998.
My grandmother, Pam Loewy, also served our country in the military. She joined the Air Force in 1974 because she wanted to follow in her father and grandfather's footsteps. When she joined, she was stationed in Texas. As she went on with the Air force, Grandma Pam grew to love her job. She could not stay enlisted as long as she wished; her duties took her to care for her family, but the experience gained by serving her country is one she has never regretted.
My recruiter, Eduardo, born in Brooklyn, New York, joined the military in 2001 because he went down the wrong path in life and wanted to make everything right. He stated, “I love this country for its opportunities and its freedom. Being in the military affords me the opportunity to make myself a better person and give back the blessings I have to my country.” Eduardo is thankful that in serving, he earned the opportunity to go to college for free.
I have an interest in the military. It will pay for my college classes, I’ll get to travel, but most importantly, I will receive training to protect my country in times of war and times of peace. Serving in the military means laying down my life, if need be, for my country and fellow soldiers.
Veterans Day, an official United States public holiday, is observed annually on November 11 and honors military veterans or persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. Simply, because of their service to America, all veterans should be honored, and it is on this day where America can give thanks to the Veterans who have served so that we can experience freedom. Veterans have spent a good fraction of their lives fighting for the generations who continue on. These veterans risked their lives hoping to make way for a better tomorrow, so that future generations could experience a better world, and today, on Veterans Day, and every day, we thank them.
Pictured below: Lexi (left) with her grandfather and grandmother, both veterans
