On Thursday, we celebrated our nation's veterans and we hope that everyone took a moment to remember the men and women who have served our nation in the military.

This was a Veteran's day when we have men and women in harm's way as this is being written.

On the Thursday, several members of the American military forces died in combat.

The military and war are like the old adage, "Don't hate the player, hate the game."

We can't fault the military for following orders.

That is what they're paid to do.

As a whole, our country has approximately 25 million veterans living in America.

Many braved conditions that most of us cannot fathom.

Over the years, they've turned patient ears to criticisms regarding the policies and politics of their battles.

These they did not create, they simply brought the policies to fruition.

There are veterans who lost limbs, shed blood and to this day, many still sleep uneasily from remembering the horrors of the battlefield. Many watched their friends carried away in pieces to military M*A*S*H units only to learn they then went home in body bags.

We hope that this week you spoke to a veteran and offered your thanks to them for their service to the country.

To listen to their stories still after many years is a blessing for us.

Their work was in the name of democracy and for the freedom of life.

Why are we writing this a few days after Veteran's Day?

Because we know that this is important to offer these men and women our thanks, not only on Nov. 11, but for every day that we have them with us.

They deserve our respect and our gratitude.

So to our county's veterans, we offer our heartfelt thank you for keeping the light of hope burning and the bell of Mother Freedom ringing forever.