Editor:
I could write a hundred letters to the editor, write a thousand poems, and thank every veteran I know but it would still not be adequate enough to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have and are now serving in our military.
Some lost all, some lost an arm, leg, or both. Some have injuries that will torment them the rest of their life. Most will never be the same. They all come back a different person. Nightmares of the horrors of war haunt their every moment night and day. All veterans did this for us so we have the freedoms afforded us by their sacrifice.
Every generation loses sight of how much they sacrificed to serve us. People under 30 today think going without a mobile device for a few hours a day is the ultimate sacrifice. That $15 an hour is the ultimate goal. A lot of our vets live the life of a broken person whose goals are just to get through another day, praying to be pain-free if only for one day.
Our men and women vets do not ask for much –some nothing at all, others just a decent health provider.
So if you think life sucks for you, try living with the effects of Agent Orange.
Please look up a vet and tell them thank you. Let them know they have not been forgotten and if not for them, we would not have the freedom to celebrate, to have freedom of speech, religion, or to bear arms.
Listen to their stories, if you can find one that can or will talk about their experiences. You will be far richer than you ever thought possible.
Jeani West
Sweet Home