Michael T

To understand a Military Veteran you must know: * We left home as teenagers or in our early twenties for an unknown adventure. * We loved our country enough to defend it and protect it with our own lives. * We said goodbye to friends and family and everything we knew. * We learned the basics and then we scattered in the wind to the far corners of the Earth. * We found new friends and new family. * We became brothers and sisters regardless of colour, race or creed. * We had plenty of good times, and plenty of bad times. * We didn’t get enough sleep. * We smoked and drank too much. * We picked up both good and bad habits. * We worked hard and played harder. * We didn’t earn a great wage. * We experienced the happiness of mail call and the sadness of missing important events. * We didn’t know when, or even if, we were ever going to see home again. * We grew up fast, and yet somehow, we never grew up at all. * We fought for our freedom, as well as the freedom of others. * Some of us saw actual combat, and some of us didn’t. * Some of us saw the world, and some of us didn’t. * Some of us dealt with physical warfare, most of us dealt with psychological warfare. * We have seen and experienced and dealt with things that we can’t fully describe or explain, as not all of our sacrifices were physical. * We participated in time honored ceremonies and rituals with each other, strengthening our bonds and camaraderie. * We counted on each other to get our job done and sometimes to survive it at all. * We have dealt with victory and tragedy. * We have celebrated and mourned. * We lost a few along the way. * When our adventure was over, some of us went back home, some of us started somewhere new and some of us never came home at all. * We have told amazing and hilarious stories of our exploits and adventures. * We share an unspoken bond with each other, that most people don’t experience, and few will understand. * We speak highly of our own branch of service, and poke fun at the other branches. * We know however, that, if needed, we will be there for our brothers and sisters and stand together as one, in a heartbeat. * Being a Veteran is something that had to be earned, and it can never be taken away. * It has no monetary value, but at the same time it is a priceless gift.