Through bloody battles and disheartened spirits, veterans have put everything on the line to defend the claims to life, liberty, and property. In life, humans have had wars, battles, and quarrels, thus we have always had soldiers and veterans, although they may have not been what people think of now. Humans have always had defenders to the claims that they make. Veterans and soldiers are the glue of the nation, because they had put all of their strengths, weaknesses, hopes, dreams, and fears on the line to protect the natural rights that people have, and yet humans take them for granted. Without veterans and soldiers the nation would have no protection, no one to really defend the claims that humans so vehemently take for advantage. The rights of life, liberty, and property would not exist had it not been for the veterans who had served in revolutionary, civil wars, and battles some would not care to remember, their sacrifice is the reason why people can be free to be themselves.

Veterans; glue to hold nations that are crumpling apart under the weight of man, and the glue to hold the natural right of life strongly for all who are in desire of keeping that right strong, and well alive, “all mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions,” (Locke). Men don’t speak like that anymore, but the words and the meaning still ring very true to the hearts of men and women, and veterans protect this sacred right that humans hold. To have life is a tremendously joyous thing for all, but in order for the joys of life to come, another must sacrifice all that they have in order for life to continue prosperously. Veterans are these others, they put their necks on the line to keep the balance of life clerical and prosperous; they march on deaths’ doors and yet they still manage to come out of it, heroes upon the crumbling nation. To the children as they look upon the crumbles, they will see the great rise out of the ruins, they will see the brave, the strong, and the proud. These children will witness the heroes of the nation. Although they will witness the greatness set out by these men, they don’t know at what cost the greatness had come by. Veterans have seen things that shouldn’t be seen by human eyes, they’ve seen destruction of many foes, but they have seen the victory that was caused by standing for the rights that humans hold for granted and that is life. They cut through the veil of the shadow of death, they have never left a fallen behind, they stand for what humans should all be; caring, committed, and fearless; and although their fears may run rampage through them like a fire in a forest, they do not let that fear get the best of them making them the best heroes in a crumbling nation.

Liberty, a noble cause to defend through quarrels and battles, caused by so many tyrannous rulers that had trampled on and our veterans came swooping in saving the day much like Superman®. And when liberty feels as distant as the Sun is to Pluto and the clutches of tyranny are beginning to suffocate submissive men that is when men shall rise and defend complicatedly simple allocations and deliverance of their natural rights. Soldiers are called to arms, shots and grenades thrown, honored men fallen but not left behind, kisses goodbye not knowing whether or not if they will ever be coming back, the creed of a military man standing for beliefs held by oppressed and freed people. “I, _____, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God,” (Oath of Enlistment) so many have stood before the unknown and taken that oath as they stood against the masses of fear and anxiety defending the freedom bought by other men’s blood and sacrifices. Sacrifices only a veteran and soldier would know, a sacrifice backed by the lives of those that offered themselves to defend our claims.

Through a sea of faces, you can tell the ones who have seen it all, their faces worn by time and graced by knowledge; these people are veterans. They are not super heroes that are indestructible; they are human like everyone else, what they have that is different it the courage to stand and fight for what they believe in. They have seen death and shook his hand more than once, and yet still come out of it as stronger men and women who have fought for the rights that people take for granted. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for their plights against injustice, tyranny, and the preservations of all that is just and good in the world. Without veterans, a nation is nothing but a hollow shell full of empty suits and ties looking for their next big idea.

“I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.”
-Warrior Ethos