Even though Memorial Day has come and gone, I would like to remind people of the sacrifices our troops have made to serve our country. These people are just like you and me. Some have jobs, some are just out of high school or are attending college, and others have families. But what makes these men and women heroes is their willingness to serve a cause greater than themselves.

Making the decision to join the military isn’t easy. Often, there’s reluctance by many of them because they worry about whether they will come home alive or in a casket. This isn’t the only reason, though. It can also be pressure from family and friends begging them not to go or their own personal beliefs about war. Some people will serve because they feel it’s their duty to do so while others won’t because they believe that war is unnecessary and unjust. It’s understandable for some to be against war, especially the Iraq war. But that shouldn’t stop people who want to serve our country from doing so. Whatever our opinions are, we should appreciate what they have done for us, otherwise we wouldn’t be the free and prosperous nation we are today.

Let us also take time to remember the soldiers who gave their lives so that our country could remain free. Ever since the birth of the United States, the millions of people who served in the military have fought and paid the price for the rights and values our country stands for. From the battlefields of Lexington and Concord to the deserts of Iraq, there have been countless stories of heroism, courage, and determination. During the American Revolution, there were the men who held off the British attack on Bunker Hill twice before having to retreat. Even though they didn’t win the battle, they showed that they were willing to give their lives for the cause of independence. In 1863, the ugly Civil War that divided America was brewing. In July of that year, the Confederates attacked the small town of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. The battle lasted for 3 days, but in the end, it was the sacrifices of the brave Union soldiers that turned the course of history and eventually preserved the Union. In World War II, there were the American troops who had to fight the Japanese in the Pacific for every inch of land. Many of them paid for victory in blood, but it wasn’t in vain because it would help to win the war.