When I asked Edward Leonard, the veteran I interviewed at the Cole Land Transportation Museum, if he was a hero, he opened to the back of a Vietnam War book to the list of soldiers who had died and said, “These people are the real heroes.”

Part of the definition of the word hero is someone that is admired or idealized for courage. Could you think of anyone with more courage than a soldier? They fight for their life, keep us safe, and some even die for our country. Veterans deserve our thanks because they put their lives at risk for you and me.

You can learn so much about war and what they went through if you ask them questions. For me, I learned that freedom shouldn’t be taken for granted.

As I learned at the museum, veterans are a living, breathing piece of history. If you have a veteran that you know please thank them and interview them before you it’s too late.

Josie Russell

Sidney