In August 2001, my family and I visited Washington DC to get a better understanding of the feelings of democracy that those serving the great United States of America felt. The memorials all hold a special reverence and pristine quality that I have never experienced any other place that I have visited. On August 11, 2001, we were actually at Arlington National Cemetery. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is especially serene. Even with hundreds of people visiting the tomb, there is a silent reverence surrounding the entire area of the tomb. It still brings chills to me whenever I think of the fact that these brave soldiers earned the honor of protecting this very special tomb. It is obvious that they so clearly realize the sacrifice and courage these men endured for our country. The rows of white tombstones at Arlington is a strong reminder of those who gave their lives to protect the freedom and democracy of our great nation.

As Veterans Day again approaches, I look forward to veterans speaking at our school. They have such interesting stories to share with us about their lives - it is intriguing. This holiday falls on the anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended World War I. As today I hear of all the tragedy and killing happening overseas, I worry about how close to the next world war we are. And still, the diligence and drive of these young men and women protecting our country is astounding.

To be completely honest, I feel that I can never come close to honoring these American heroes to the level that they should be honored. They are willing to risk their lives for the safety and freedom of all Americans. It takes a special individual to possess the amount of dedication and drive that is necessary to join and serve in the armed forces, and I say "God bless you" to all of them. Yes, God Bless America. I am so tired of hearing that God should not be included in the schools. There is a school in my area that actually banned the singing of the song "God Bless America" at an event because the word God was in the song and it actually offended some people. That is a major part of the problem with the country, God is not allowed to be praised, sung in songs, or glorified for all that he has given to each of us. As each soldier fights with all his might, I feel that I can at the very least stand tall as I say the "Pledge of Allegiance", sing the "Star-Spangled Banner" with pride, and remember what this country was founded on "In God we trust". I could never give a big enough "thank you" to the men and women who serve for my family, my neighbors, an the generations to come.

The most significant way I honor the United States of America's veterans is by living the example of a person who knows her freedoms and liberties were paid for with the price of sacrifices made by veterans throughout our country's history. I can never remember a time in my family when I was growing up where there was a negative word spoken about the veterans of the United States of America. In fact, one my grandfather's proudest memories is when, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he asked his parents if he could quit high school in his senior year. He asked if they would sign for him to enlist in the Navy to go fight in the war to keep our country free. As a little girl, I remember watching parades sitting with my parents when the honor guards would come marching down the street with the American flag, and we would always stand up and put our hands over our hearts. Even though there have been times that I've heard disagreements about governmental policies and certain politicians, I've only heard words of gracious praise for the men and women who dedicated themselves to serve our country in the military. My experience has always been to have respect for those who dedicated, sacrificed, and ultimately died for our liberty. I express much gratitude towards the future, present, and past veterans of the United States of America.

When the military recruiters come to my school, I always encourage them. The recruiters always set up a table outside the main office and talk to people about joining the military. One day, a Marine came to my high school and told the story of his training and how long it took. He talked about the grueling 12 week basic training that he had to endure. He said those weeks were the hardest time in his entire life. Standing there listening to his story made me more appreciative of all who serve. I've always been amazed at all the opportunities the military presents my generation and generations to come. I am very respectful of the veterans who are in the military, and I thank them for their service. I honor veterans by encouraging future veterans to serve our country with dignity as generations before them have.

I show support of the young and middle aged veterans who have sacrificed so much to insure our country's safety. One beautiful Sunday afternoon, I was at my grandparent's house, and they wanted to take my mother, my father, and me to a unique veteran's memorial. We drove 10 miles from my grandparent's home in Marseilles, Illinois. Just off the main highway we turned into a beautiful park like setting where the memorial was built several yards from the flowing Illinois River. The memorial consisted of several large, gray, granite stones with hundreds of names carved into them. All of the carved names were those of brave men and women who had fought and died in the Middle East over the last decade. Many Americans are unaware of how great the sacrifices have been during this time. At the base of one of the stones was a pair of army boots filled with concrete. The boots were those of a soldier who had died fighting for America. The minute I saw those, I better understood the ultimate sacrifice that many of our veterans have made.

I've attended many Memorial Day parades where the World War II veterans proudly wear their hats with pins and ribbons. One of my heroes is my grandfather who served in the Navy in the Pacific Theater on a boat named the LST 633. I honor him by listening to his stories and experiences. He dropped out of high school and joined the Navy after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

My family and I recently had lunch with my grandparents, and my grandfather was talking about the trip my grandmother and he took to the Hawaiian Islands 30 years after World War II was over. He had the opportunity to go and stand at the memorial of the USS Arizona. When he started telling the story, he looked away, and I could tell that he had tears on his face. My grandmother spoke up and said that one of his childhood friends had been on the Arizona when it was bombed. As children, they lived across the street from one another, and frequently played basketball, baseball, and any other game they could come up with to pass the time. Upon hearing the news of his good friend's death, he wasted no time in enlisting. His friend's death gave him an added determination to join the military and especially the Navy. All of his experiences and stories that he has to tell, make me feel very appreciative of those who fought for the Untied States of America.

At the memorial in Marseilles, there was a picture of a soldier. My grandfather looked at it and said, "I don't know who you would've become, but I know who you are - you are definitely a hero in my book." He looked up into the sky and shook his head as he walked back to the car. For me, honoring America's veterans comes down to showing respect for the sacrifices they've made. Those sacrifices enable us to experience life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I am forever grateful.