God Bless America

Veterans Day Parade in downtown Fullerton, CA. By M.C.
Veterans Day Parade in downtown Fullerton, CA. By M.C.

Happy Veterans Day to all those men and women who sacrifice their lives for my freedom. They join the military for a better life; to maybe get an education, but when war comes their dreams get pushed aside. Those benefits of why they joined may disappear.

Now many discharged, they are looking for work, but they don’t have the degree. What employers fail to realize is that those years in the military these men and women have learned skills that are more marketable than what I learned in college. This snubbing of the so called uneducated needs to change. Life experience should count.

It’s a plus, I can say I have a college degree, so that, I don’t have to feel like I have to explain why I don’t have one. My degree is in the arts; a vocation that sometimes doesn’t need a degree. I’ve learned much more from my own trial and errors and mentors. I’ve learned more outside of the sitting in a classroom and taking notes only to regurgitate it for a test. Being in the arts means working to finance your art or music lesson. There have been unpaid internships and volunteer work. It seems as though I have had to work harder to learn the things that a university didn’t teach. The point is there is great benefit learning through life experience.

Today I went to a local Veterans Day parade and watched veterans from all branches walk with the local ROTC youth and high school band. One of the local representatives said the best way to honor a veteran is to live your dreams in the freedom they fought for. So, thank you Renaissance Man for fighting for my freedom. This one’s for you.

Anchors Aweigh, my boys

Anchors Aweigh!

Farewell to college joys

We sail at break of day, day, day, day

Through our last night on shore

Hail to the foam!

Until we meet once more

Here’s wishing you a happy voyage home!

If you missed out on celebrations today please go see  The Moving Wall which came to Southern California last year. It’s a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It will move you. Currently, it is in Texas. http://www.themovingwall.org/

Related articles