What do you give up when you want to give a gift? Do you sacrifice something you wanted for yourself? Or do you normally buy gifts with your spare money? How often are we called upon to sacrifice for others? If you’re a parent, you’re doing it every day. You give up your peaceful house, your leisure time, your money for the doctors, the sports, the school events. You know the meaning of sacrifice.

But sacrifice takes on a whole new meaning when we talk about defending the freedom we in the United States have to live our lives as we wish. And fighting for some measures of freedom for other countries whose people have no concept of the kinds of freedom we enjoy every day. Those who serve our country are called upon to sacrifice, first, their own freedom to live as they wish—they agree to devote their lives for some amount of time to doing exactly as the country asks. And then sometimes, that request goes all the way to sacrificing a life. And our enlisted members of the military choose to say yes to all they are asked.

Thank them today by flying the American flag. Their families will shed tears of joy to see that you care.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
- John F. Kennedy Inaugural Address
Washington, D.C. January 20, 1961

Left Photo By: MSgt. Stephen D’ Alessio Right Photo By: Staff Sgt. Matthew Lohr