A day of honor, remembrance

LANCASTER- For me it always hits home when I hear of someone I used to know during my childhood who died serving in the war. It makes the war so much more real, especially when I tend to forget that human life is being lost every day for my freedoms.

It is not meant to be disrespectful in any way, but like most people I think sometimes you just don’t want to face the reality of a horrible situation, until something finally wakes you up. For me, it was the news of the Alden community, where I grew up, mourning the loss of Army Specialist Brett E. Gornewicz, 27.

He was killed Nov. 3, when his unit was hit with an improvised explosive device in the Paktia province of Afghanistan. It was also reported Staff Sgt. Dain T. Venne, 29, of Port Henry, N.Y. and Spc. Ryan P. Jayne, 22, of Campbell, N.Y. were also killed.

The three soldiers were members of the 479th Engineering Battalion, out of Watertown, N.Y.

Veterans are among our most selfless citizens, giving of themselves in ways most of us can hardly imagine. I know Veteran’s Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their dedication and loyal service to our country, but it is also to remember those who have fallen. I thought sharing this story would make us realize how important it is to honor military personnel each and every day of our lives. You just never know what is going to happen.

On Veteran’s Day it’s imperative for us to set aside everything else to pause and honor those who have served and sacrificed so we may have the freedoms we all enjoy as Americans. It’s impossible to fully repay our men and women veterans, but this day is important for us to show them and their families how much they mean to us and how much we admire them.

It is disheartening to know that some of us just think of Veteran’s Day as another day off from work or school, it should never be viewed that way. If the United States did not have people willing to fight to defend this country, I might not have been here today. Our country is greater because of the courageous people who fought for our freedom.

My grandfather, 92, served in WWII and my uncle, who killed himself after returning home from the Vietnam War, should always be remembered and honored for their service. My grandfather has shared numerous stories of his time during the war and every time I always think, I will never truly understand or really know what it was like to be in combat, while countless others have and many others will. They have given me the chance to live my life in peace and I will never have to see violence or death.

They pay the ultimate price for our freedoms, a statement I believe we can all agree on. On this Veteran’s Day, take a moment and say thank you, but never forget to show your appreciation throughout your life. After all, you likely owe it to a veteran.

And that’s worth celebrating each and every day.