Patriot's Pen

What is sacrifice? Is it losing something of value to gain something else? Is it killing something on an altar to appease a “god” or otherworldly entity? Both of those are different views on the word sacrifice. However, I believe that sacrifice can be an act of valor. For example, veterans have sacrificed many things to give freedom to the people of their country. Things that veterans have sacrificed include mental health and life opportunities. Those are but a few things that have been sacrificed in order for our country to retain it’s state as the land of the free.

Many veterans are scarred mentally. Too many of them suffer from post-traumatic stress because of the terrifying things they saw on the battlefield. Some of them watched their comrades that they have trained, worked and lived with for a long time die right before their eyes. Others have watched their fellow soldiers be blown up, lose limbs and eventually bleed out from those wounds as they writhe in pain.

Along with being scarred mentally veterans have given up a lot of opportunities. They have given up college opportunities, job opportunities and for some of them even retirement opportunities. Most well paying jobs need the employees to have some sort of college degree, but most people enlist in the military during or right after high school. This causes them to be unable to go to college after returning and sometimes are not able to attend to college due to not having of a high school diploma. Others are not able to work because they are missing limbs.

Veterans have sacrificed so much to keep the U.S. free. They sacrifice their mental health along with many opportunities throughout their life. Depending on how you view it sacrifice can be an act of valor. Sometimes its plain wrong and completely useless like when the Aztecs used to sacrifice slaves to their gods to bring good harvest. So what makes veterans important to you and what do you think about sacrifice?