Some years ago, my wife and I were visiting my son and his family for the day. We decided to visit a small park that sits along the Muskingum River hoping to see a passing riverboat. My youngest grandson and I were exploring the riverbank in the park, when we came upon a bronze sculpture standing next to the sidewalk. After a few moments of looking up at the face of the stoic figure, my grandson asked, “What is this?” I told him it was a statue of a soldier. After a few moments of deliberation, he asked, “Who is it for?” I explained it was to honor the many veterans who served our country in the military. He thought for a moment and then stepping closer to the bronze figure replied:“Ok”. That was his only comment as he stood and looked at his face for a brief moment before we continued our walk.

A few days later, I thought back to the question my grandson had asked about the statue of the soldier. As I often do, I began to think more about his question and the answer I had given him. “Who is it for?” Now, I know he is an intelligent young man at only five years of age, but I also realized he does not know what a veteran is.

November 11th is the day, each year, we take a moment to remember and honor our American veterans. We often think of a veteran as older Americans who may have served in the Great War, World War II. But the truth is, a veteran is anyone who served his or her country in time of war or peace. Veterans Day is set aside to remember and honor them. It is a day to pay tribute to the sacrifices of all who have served.

The next time you are in a gathering of people, large or small, take a moment and look around at their faces. More than likely you are looking at the face of an American veteran somewhere in the crowd. Men and women who served their country and came home to enjoy the freedoms each veteran has helped insure for all of us.

Each day, men and women who have served our country are leaving active duty jobs and returning to their civilian life, now they have become an American Veteran.

But, for each new veteran it is likely we are losing several older veterans. The fact is many of the World War II veterans are passing into America’s history. Each day, it is estimated one thousand men and women who served in the Great War will be lost to the passing of time. For the most part, there will be no great ceremonies to honor these veterans for a service provided when their country called them to arms. But, perhaps only the proud words “American Veteran” in their final remembrance with a small American Flag on their last resting place each Memorial Day will serve as our remembrance.

During the last year of World War II in the Pacific, my dad served as a Navy SeaBee in the Philippines. Like a lot of war veterans, he did not talk much about the reality of war fought many years ago. But he was willing to talk about being a veteran who served his country in the U. S Navy. In those days leaving school to enlist in one of the branches of the service was not uncommon for a young man. My dad and his friend left school books behind and joined the Navy. At the recruiters office they and others were asked to raise their hand and pledge to serve their country. That is the same oath that millions of Americans have taken over the course of our country’s history before entering a branch of the service. An oath to protect the freedoms of our country.

In the great halls of our government elected officials speak of justice, liberty and freedom as words to define what each of them believes in. But in reality, our military must put into action words like commitment, courage and sacrifice to defend those elected officials’ words. That is the proud heritage of the American Veteran we celebrate each November.

Today, future veterans are serving all around the world in faraway countries in the name of freedom. Perhaps those serving and their loved ones can take a little comfort from the fact we at home on this day honor and remember those that went before them and remember their sacrifices. We hope they will soon return home and proudly accept the title of American Veteran.

Someday both of my grandsons may read this and better understand what an American Veteran is. If he were to ask me today that question again, “Who is it for?” I would answer differently, now that I have pondered the profound inquiry he asked me. Today I would tell him, “It is for you and all to see, soldiers frozen in time and the sacrifices of veterans that served to preserve our freedoms in America. Freedoms we must not take for granted or forget the high price paid for them.” That is the image of freedom for my family and yours that I will always see Through the Lens.