Today, we celebrate you. Though, we should be celebrating you every day.

Today we recognize the sacrifices you make, though we know not all of them and cannot imagine making them ourselves. We salute your bravery and thank you for your service.

Today, we envy the courage that you demonstrated to protect your country...and me, a total stranger. We stand beside you and mourn the soldiers who fell beside you and the lives that were affected by these losses. We mourn the soldiers who fought and made it back home, only to still be on the battlefield.

Today, we apologize for the things you have seen and had to do. We apologize for the nights you wake up sweating and screaming--a mind still at war. I wish I could take you into my arms and hear your stories. You are heard, you are loved, and you are not forgotten. You are the everyday unsung hero of our extraordinary lives.

Thank you for answering the call that nobody else was able to. We appreciate your sacrifices, your efforts, your strengths and weaknesses; we appreciate you. Thank you.