A person who pledged their very life in defense of the Constitution of the United States

Someone who endured environmental and physical extremes while battling foreign and domestic enemies of the Constitution

A person whose fidelity and loyalty to the Constitution remains ever strong

A person who has gone into the Valley of Death in obedience to lawful orders of the President and of superior officers

A person who voluntarily gave up their Constitutional freedoms and became subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice

A person who asks to give but never to be given

A person who may be a recipient of but never sought a citation for bravery

One who proudly salutes the Anthem and Flag of the United States of America

One who protects the loathsome protestor’s freedom of speech and right to burn the Flag

A person who is blind to human differences and accepts the strength of diversity

A person who never was and is not now a victim

The only one who is capable of truly understanding another Veteran

One who does not ask to be understood but for others to be understanding

That person sitting alone, looking into the past with eyes full of tears, asking the unanswerable, "Why not me?"

With love and respect for my brothers and sisters

Terry S. Bowman,
SMSgt (Ret) USAF

Thanks Fran for sending this to me. I couldn't have said this better myself! Thank you SMSgt Bowman for the inspired words and thank you to all the military members (current and former) who have voluntarily accepted the call to duty and to those who have given the greatest sacrifice for the good of the rest of us!