Veterans defend our country, so they deserve all the respect in the world. I didn’t realize how important that was until my team went on a field trip to the Cole Land Transportation Museum in Bangor to interview local veterans. It made me realize how much appreciation that they deserve.

I learned a shocking fact. When the Vietnam veterans came back, they weren’t welcome. They were actually scorned. I feel that was wrong. I know that a lot of people didn’t like the war, but it wasn’t the soldiers that started it. They didn’t deserve the treatment that they got.

When a panel of veterans came to my school, I listened to two Vietnam veterans. They both told their story about when they came back to America. They said that they couldn’t wear their uniform out or they would be treated like dirt. One of them retreated into the woods for two years.

I know times have changed and they are now receiving the respect that they should have received when they returned home from Vietnam. I hope that the current trend of respect continues because veterans sacrificed much for us. When you honor veterans, honor all veterans for all were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Julia Bard

Sidney


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