Soldiers are the ultimate heroes because they go to hell and back for their country and the people back home. The soldiers across the globe are prime examples of heroes because they leave their families for months at a time, have astounding courage and bravery, and possess selflessness and sacrifice that extends from the far reaches of the world all the way to us at home. America’s military is filled with great heroes and as a nation we need to recognize and respect the risks they take. Bravery and courage are two traits of a hero that are never overlooked and the men and women who fight overseas have proven that they will do their duty to the best of their abilities no matter the situation and no matter the fight. They volunteer to leave their whole lives for months and still serve with pride, passion, and humility. They give us their husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters so that we may have the freedoms that go unnoticed by many. Not only are they heroes to me but they are also heroes to each other. When one family is going through tough times there are other families to pick them up on their feet, offer a shoulder to cry on, or even a place to lay their heads at night. During his time as a general in World War II, George S. Patton said, “All men are afraid in battle. The coward is the one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty. Duty is the essence of manhood” (Patton). Patton expected only the best from his men, but he knew that gaining the respect of the troops in his command he had to be a mentor to them. He could always be seen at the front showing bravery rather than simply asking for it. From the Revolutionary war to the recent conflicts in the Middle East, our troops have been fighting and shedding blood for the rights of us citizens and the freedoms that we get every day. It takes an extremely valiant person to die for someone much less someone who you do not know and will likely never meet. You can find hundreds of stories where these men exemplify courage in the face of fear but often the people who are fighting next to those men go unnamed and unappreciated. They go day after day doing their job making the world safer and it takes a brave man to continue day after day when you do not know if the next might be your last. The feats of bravery on the front lines as well as the home front prove that being in the military is more than a job; it is a lifestyle, a way of life for many, and it is a family that will support each other and weather every storm together.
Two US Marines under fire in the beginning stages of the assault on Okinawa. (1945)
He believes all the men who died are just as much heroes as he is and cannot bear to be named a hero while his friends who took the ultimate sacrifice go nameless.
CNN. “Military Hero Cries for Soldiers He Left Behind.” YouTube, YouTube, 7 Feb. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCXAfJBVHJ0.