What is a Veteran?

by Judy Williams

Webster’s dictionary simply defines a veteran as “a person who has served in the military.” But a veteran is so much more.

A veteran is someone who has missed special family times and has sacrificed creature comforts while serving because of putting country and service before self.

Some of our veterans have received life-changing physical injuries while serving our country, and others have emotional scars we cannot see. Think about the Vietnam War veteran who, 50-plus years later still has to get to an inside room every time there’s an electrical storm. The sound of the thunder and flashes of lightning still remind that veteran of battles he or she can’t forget.

And let’s not forget about war veterans suffering survivor’s remorse because they made it home and a comrade did not … or the veteran who still sees, in his or her mind’s eye, images of a fellow soldier losing a leg to a land mine … or veterans with memories of holding dying comrades in their arms.

All of our veterans have made sacrifices for us and many are still suffering in silence with the images of battles fought. We can never erase their memories for them, but we can honor all of our veterans on November 11.