Being in the military is similar in some ways to being born again as a believer. Once you sign up, your life is no longer your own. A life in the armed forces is a life of service, sacrifice, and obedience.

Human beings are hard-wired for self-preservation. So, it takes tremendous courage and fortitude to willingly sacrifice one’s life for someone else’s. It takes dedication to live in a trench, rain-soaked forest, or desert wasteland for weeks, months, or even years, carrying out orders that no one ever asked your opinion about. It takes incredible fortitude to be separated from everyone you love, watching friends suffer and die, and waiting for everyone to stop fighting so you can finally go home.

Most of us will never experience the reality and horror of war because of the selfless men and women who have chosen to protect us from it. We may owe our very existence to one or more earthly warriors who saved someone’s life or gave their own. So today, let’s pay homage to veterans of every battle—to those who came home as well as to those who never did.