What it means to be a Veteran is far beyond what meets the eye,
Soldiers giving up their lives to fight a war for you and I,
What it means to be a Veteran not too many will ever know,
The price they paid with their blood, a debt this country will forever owe,
What it means to be a Veteran, a honorable act of sacrifice,
Trading their shoes for helmets and guns, freedom was the highest price,
What it means to be a Veteran leaving their families all behind,
Fighting daily to keep our country free and safe for all of mankind,
What it means to be a Veteran how they stared death in its face,
Losing companions during the fight, lives that cannot be replaced,  
What it means to be a Veteran terrors of war keeping them awake,
Dodging bullets and enemy fire, praying death was not their fate,
What is means to be a Veteran how the war made some depressed,
Some took their very own lives to finally have some peace and rest,
What it means to be a Veteran some disabled and could not work,
Turning to prescription drugs to fill that void and ease the hurt,
What it means to be a Veteran bruises fade, but scars remain,
Fighting for red, white, and blue, liberty was the ultimate gain,
What it means to be a Veteran is more than just a holiday,
Because they chose to protect and serve we are all here today!