A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The "United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life." - unknown
It is the Soldier, not the reporter Who has given us freedom of the press. It is the Soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech. It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer, Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the Soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, And who's coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protestor to burn the flag.
It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.