The vibrant red, white and blue colors swaying in the wind. The loud noise of the metal banging against the flag pole on a windy afternoon. Rain or shine the flag stands, and so do the members of that country who represent it.

Almost every home in a town either has a flag hanging up or some kind or emblem signifying their country, and the appreciation to those men and women who allocate every day. Whether people show their respect for the military with these flags or other physical symbols, it’s there.

All the pride and dedication that these men and women put into their daily lives of their own families is indescribable. Without the strength of these giving people, the world would never be what it is today.

Courage, is the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from a chosen course of action. Children at a fairly young age can look up to their parents or guardians and one day follow in their footsteps, in the hope of becoming a hero for someone else.

Imagine moving from state to state, home to home, school to school, all due to the fact of the military. Our father, being in the military, puts us in the category of being Navy brats. Although he is currently overseas, we am so proud of his efforts to keep American citizens safer, and to prevent any destruction upon our country.

With the hard times of saying goodbye, and the many months without him, its very hard with just our mom. However, we know our dad is serving our country and will be home eventually, which makes us proud.

Twenty-five years he has served in the military, and is still making many sacrifices to not only his family, but other families whom he doesn’t even know.

Knowing of the past experiences with family members serving in wars and contributing to the development of the land is the most rewarding feeling. With all the devastation the country has endured, we’ve still been able to come together as one nation and stand strong.

The upset of 9/11 was one of those times where multiple questions were asked and, yet, there were no answers. No answers as to why things like that happen. However the armed services, firefighters, police and more were able to give us some hope. Hope for a better future and the reinforcement of safety of every individual in the United States of America.

The military then goes beyond that comfort zone and makes sure other countries are safe from evil disaster. Making sure women in the Middle East have the same rights men have here, shows that our country is willing to assist others despite the dangers.

Acts of courtesy, such as the removal of hats during he Star Spangled Banner, the lowering of flags when someone passes away, and the remembrance of soldiers at monuments are just a few ways of respecting the armed forces.

With being a part of a military family, a lot of tough times occur in which sacrifices are to be made. Sacrifices that include missing memories that only happen once, like soccer games, especially the most recent one, a state championship game.

Most athletes play for their schools and their teammates, but this season we played for our father as well. We knew he wanted to be there so badly to watch and cheer us on more than anything in this world, however he had bigger priorities and continued his duties overseas.

Right before he left, toward the end of the summer, he wrote: “If a man were to know the end of this day’s business ere to come; but it suffice that the day will end, and then the end is known. If we meet again, well then we’ll smile, and if not then this parting was well made.”

With the hard time of saying good-bye, and the last looks that were made while driving away, we are proud to say our dad serves the military and is going to be home soon.

This country is strong and goes through everything at one. Not on different levels, but on the same platform. With veterans having past experiences and advice for the rookies who are just learning the importance of pride and dignity of themselves and others, the military is the structure of the country and is the stars and stripes on the cloth that we look at every day.

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