First, and most importantly, thank you. Thank you for enduring things I will never truly understand the horrors about, such as boot camp and deployments. Thank you for volunteering to potentially make the ultimate sacrifice for your country, family, and friends. As I sit in my college classes complaining about my 7:50 a.m., you are awaiting deployment, in boot camp, having work all day plus night shifts, or actively deployed. Day in and day out, you protect people like me. People who complain about small things while you so selflessly pledge your life to our country. I will never be able to say thank you enough.
Second, I am sorry. I am sorry for complaining about that 7:50 a.m. class or that final I didn't study enough for. I am sorry that you aren't appreciated as much as you should be. I am sorry that Caitlyn Jenner was presented the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, and that our country supported her and cheered her on as a hero. She has never saved a life, watched her buddy die, or not been able to talk to her family. She has never had to go through the physical and mental training, as you guys, she will never be sent overseas to fight a war. She hasn't, and probably never will, be poorly paid and have to say some tough goodbyes. She will never be pulled from her family for months at a time, nor will she ever have to see what you have or will. I'm sorry that our country has forgotten what a true hero is. I'm sorry that we pay obscure money to watch professional athletes, who make millions, while you get poor pay with benefits. I am sorry we treat our veterans so poorly, instead of being grateful and appreciative of their service.
As I was in my 7:50 a.m. class, I heard someone insult the military by saying only those who do poorly in school join. I've seen a lot of my friends, all very smart, make the decision to sacrifice their life by joining. A couple minutes after the insult, one girl in the class said her father died in the army so that the same kid insulting the military had the right to say those insults and go to college instead of war. Immediately there was an outbreak of arguments. I sat in awe because growing up exposed to family in the Marines; I didn't think people actually insulted the same people who protect their freedom of speech.
We don't have to support the war or the policy at hand but at the very least, we need to show our troops support. I'd like to see those who insult the military or their intelligence go through the training they have. I have so many opportunities in my life that I truly am thankful for, but something that seems to frequently slip my mind: those who serve and fight for our country.
So thank you to the men and women who make sacrifices every day for their country, loved ones, and people they don't know, like me. Thank you to those men and women lost their life protecting ours. And thank you, vets, for your service.
