When I was in eighth grade, I heard a veteran’s story about his experiences in the Vietnam War. I have been appreciative for the troops and their service ever since.

Seeing the look of fear in the veteran’s eyes when he described the unimaginable scene of combat, and his stories about helping his wounded friends really spoke to me about the importance of honoring the armed forces.

Even if you personally do not have a close tie to someone who has fought for this country, everyone should be aware of the heroic actions soldiers are taking in places like Afghanistan every single day.

Just in the past year, there have been commanders who lost their lives in bailing aircrafts over the North Arabian Gulf or generals who lost their lives in attacks from enemies.

America has had brave souls like Sgt. Maj. Bennie Adkins, who received the Medal of Honor for killing 175 enemy troops and taking 18 wounds from enemy fire. These people have families and lives like every one of us. The actions that they take for America’s safety deserve recognition.

So this year on Veteran’s Day, let us remember all of the brave souls who have fought for our country and have lost their limbs, their sanity and sometimes their lives.

Let us take a break from the essays and homework that may be piling up and simply take some time to honor the people who serve this country and make America safe.

Whether you plant flags in the cemetery near veterans who have died, attend the ceremony at Town Hall or call a relative who has served, make sure to do something to honor the veterans of America.

I know that this year I will definitely take time out of my day to connect with the veteran who really reached me in middle school to simply say, “thank you.”