They came from small downstate towns, farms, the Big City. They enlisted, were drafted, or told: "Serve your Country or serve your Time". They were patriotic, or curious, bored or in "trouble". They wanted to prove themselves, or had nothing to prove; they had reasons or no reasons; they were boys and girls who became men and women. They became soldiers.

They were educated, uneducated; they were rich or poor; Black, White, Hispanic; male; female. They wanted to support a cause, or a family; they wanted to see the World, or escape from their own; they had dreams of Glory, or fears of Death; they wanted to fight, or not fight; they were from a long line of military legacy, or first generation Americans; they may have joined carelessly, or resisted cautiously; it was an experience they may or may not have wanted, expected or planned. They became soldiers.

They were America's Youth, the neighborhood kid, the boy or girl next door. They came from all America, from diverse backgrounds; they left home, family, job, school and friends; the known for the unknown. They came in answer to their Country's call, through enlistment or a draft notice. Whatever the background, whatever the status, whatever the form of enlistment, whatever the reasons, they became soldiers.

They changed from the protected to the protector; they exchanged civilian clothes for a uniform; individuality for uniformity. They trained together, ate together, slept together, lived together, fought together, and many, died together. Some went overseas, some stayed in the States; some served in peacetime, some in a time of war; some fought in that war, some served elsewhere; some reenlisted, some did not; some came home, some did not return. They were soldiers.

They fought, or did not have to fight; they were wounded, or escaped injury; they died, or cheated Death; they returned Home with Honor And Glory, or Hate and revulsion. They were respected, or reviled; they had a Welcome Home Parade (and some waited for twenty years). They all had served their Country. They were soldiers.

Free people everywhere cannot and must not be deceived. It has been said: "suppose they gave a war and nobody came?" the answer: Someone will always give a war, and, unless someone goes, the aggressor will march from town to town, country through country, shore to shore, destroying Life, Liberty, Justice, Freedom, and all that is held Dear. There will be wars; there must be soldiers.

The Holy Bible declares there will be wars and rumors of war; History confirms the Prophecy, and, as long as there are wars, there will be soldiers. As long as there are aggressors, and where Liberty and Freedom are threatened, there will be those brave men and women who will rise up to protect the God-given rights of others. These are soldiers.

Regardless of race, color, creed, sex, values, reasons, background, education, fears, personality, attitude or environment, a soldier is one, in this Land of the Free, who is willing (not necessarily wanting) to fight, and perhaps die, to defend the rights of others and preserve their Liberty. These are soldiers.

Soldiers, our Country soldiers...