A military is a necessary part of any nation, but the reason for the military can vary. Some military units serve their dictator or king who just want to make themselves happy. Others, such as ours, serve their country with the intentions of ensuring peace and freedom in the country.

Our military personnel have the opportunity of choosing to serve their country, unlike other countries which have a draft. When someone chooses to fight for the greater good of their country, even though it might cost them their life, there is no doubt great pride should come with that decision.

As defined in the Merriam Webster dictionary, pride is: inordinate self esteem, a reasonable or justifiable self respect, or a delight arising from some act, possession, or relationship.

When a person makes a conscience decision to set aside their personal needs to serve their country, not only should we be proud of them, but they should be proud of themselves. It takes a lot of strength, courage and faith to put yourself in harm’s way to make sure the ones you love are safe.

When we consider our Founding Fathers and the people who fought and gave their lives to create this great country, how do we describe them? Brave, strong, dedicated, selfless? I would tell you that they were full of pride.

These individuals were proud of the colonies they set up and were ready to do whatever it took to make them as great as they could be. They fought against a much bigger, stronger and skilled army, but were determined, persistent and too proud to just give up. Because these men were proud of their duty and proud to serve their country, we have the great nation that we live in today.

Think back to Sept. 11, 2011.

I am certain you remember exactly where you were when the planes hit the Twin Towers. I am also very certain that when President George W. Bush gave his speech, that you had never been so proud to be a citizen of the United States of America.

The firemen, the police officers, military members, and all the people who banded together to help out their fellow Americans showed us just how dedicated our armed forces are to our country. It is days like that when we realize just how truly valuable a person’s life is, and how important they are to others. Because of that day, many young men and women made a choice to join the forces against terrorism, and become part of something greater than themselves.

It is days like that, in which we are truly grateful and proud of our nation and our military members.

Think about the famous patriotic song, “I am proud to be an American.” Why are we proud of this?

Should we not instead be proud of the selfless men and women who gave their lives to give us this great country? Should we not instead be grateful to be an American, considering we had no choice where we were born?

We shouldn’t be proud of ourselves, for we have done nothing to deserve the liberties we have been given. All of this pride should be directed toward the people who rightfully deserve it, our current and deceased military members.

Our armed forced should be treated with the utmost respect and should be honored as heroes, whether they have been decorated or not. They sacrifice their safety and sometimes even their lives for us and nothing could ever be measured as more honorable or worthwhile.

The next time you see a current member of our military, tell them how proud you are of them. This may seem like a small thing, but it is the least we can do to support those who do so much for others.