sacrifice themselves on the basic principle that we should live free. while the cause is the same everyone has a different reason for serving. maybe they are following in their father s footsteps or felt a calling after the terrorists tore down the twin towers. for me it was a patriotic parade or a series of them in a small town. motherly day and fourth of july parades in a tiny town in southern minnesota where my parents grew up. the whole town lined up on the tree sign side of the main street waiting for the veterans to walk by and when they came older vets and younger vets, crowd clapped and saluted. the reverence that town had for the veterans made me say, wow, those men really did something special. something bigger than this town. something bigger than themselves. these men were willing to put on a uniform and face danger for me, a kid they never met. it was just a handful of veterans, from one town. but every town in america gave men like that. out of sheer patriotism
free while the cause is thelive same. everyone has a different reason for serving free.e ca. maybe they re following in their father s footsteps, orserv they felt a calling after terrorists tore down the twin towersa call. for me, it was a patriotictr parade or a series oiotif them f a small town memorial day and the 4th of july parades in a tiny farm town in southern minnesota where my parents grewm up. the whole town linedinnesota wh on the side of the tree lined main street, waiting for the veterans u to walk by. and when they came, older vets u and younger vets, the crowd clapped and salutes,d. the reverence that town had for the veterans made me say, wow, those men really did something special, somethingme did biggern this town, something bigger than themselves. these men were willing to put on a uniform and facet fo danger for me. a kid they never met. it was just a handful of veterans from one town. but rans from one town. gave men like that. out of sheer patriot
Veterans, from one town. but every town in america gave men like that. out of sheer patriotism and when you add up all of those small towns it gives you a glimpse of the sheer wait of the cost of freedom. for generations families field with filled and love for their country sent their own to battle in trenches, beaches, jungles and deserts. and not everyone made it back. in guatanamo bay, cuba, i served with a guy who was a real salt of the earth guy. smart, committed, and really hard-working. back home he was a police officer. service was in his blood. we both later deployed to afghanistan. we were in different units at that point and different parts of the country and that s when i got word that he had been killed in combat. it hit me like a ton of bricks. it s a feeling almost everyone who served knows.
Veterans from one town. but rans from one town. gave men like that. out of sheer patriotism. and when you add up all of those small towns, it gives you a glimpse oftown the sheerr weight of the cost of freedom. i for generations, families filled with faith and love for their countrli d y sent their on to battle in trenches, beachesd ,jungles and deserts. and not everyone made it back. in guantanamo bay, cuba, ind wasuantanamo bay, cuba, george oliveira, who was a real salt of the earth guy. of tt, committed and really hard working. back home, hd reallye was a pole officer. service was in his blood. we both later deployed to afghanistan. we were in different units his e that point and we were in different parts of the country. and that sre and when i got word that bee george had been killed in combat. n killed it hit me like a ton. bricks. it s a feeling almost everyone who served feeli knows.