Voice of Democracy contest winners named

OSMOND — Members of the Osmond High School junior class participated in the Voice of Democracy contest recently. The contest was sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7838 and its Auxiliary. Serving as co-chairpersons for the contest were Dallas Steckelberg and Keri Schultze.

The 2022-23 theme was “Why is The Veteran Important?” Contestants were asked to prepare a 3-5 minute speech which was presented by audio for judging.

Winning the local contest was Erica Heiman, daughter of Dan and Francis Heiman. Second-place honors went to Matthew Alderson, son of Curtis Alderson and Jill Heemstra. Third place was awarded to Anna Kahny, daughter of Dwight and Donna Kahny. Each of the top three winners received a cash prize and a medal. Erica earned the right to compete at the district level. State and national contests are also held.

Erica’s winning speech was printed in the Nov. 16 issue of the Osmond Republican. The second- and thirdplace speeches are printed here. —————

Why is the Veteran Important?

You charge across the ear-splitting

battlefield carrying your bleeding,

injured brother, persevering through the panic and pain pulsing through your body. You get him to the medic just in time to turn around and see a

flag of red, white, and blue fly over a now deathly quiet battlefield.

Veterans have gone through a lot, to put it lightly, but is this what makes them important? Or is it the qualities they have gotten from experiences? Or, ultimately, the vast results of these battles that live only in their memories, that signify their importance.

I believe the importance of a veteran

lies in the sacrifices they have made,

the qualities they possess, and the end

results of these sacrifices.

But what are these sacrifices veter ans have made?

First off, they had to sign up for the military, giving away many years of their lives for serving. After this comes boot camp, where they are constantly putting in work, day in and day out. Then comes the time that their training is put to the test: they get deployed. Whether it was World War II, Vietnam, the Revolutionary War, or one of the many Middle Eastern countries America intervened in, they faced horrors. Some may have seen the atrocities of the Holocaust, the barbarity of the Jungle, or the heinous acts occurring in the desert. Some suffered permanent injuries. Some saw their brothers die next to them; Some did not even come home.

They paid the ultimate sacrifice for

their country: their life.

But as the old saying goes, “What does not kill you makes you stronger.”

For the veterans that did come home, they came home with qualities

that can only be forged in fire. They

have some of the strongest work ethics in America. They will see things through no matter the toughness, for they have been through worse. They also didn’t stop at protecting people’s rights outside our country. According to a survey done by Sean Brown, almost one-fourth of the police force are ex-military. They show bravery and courageousness for continuing to protect the ones who cannot protect themselves. They are honorable, selfless, hard working people we should aspire to be.

However, these are not the only things that make a veteran important.

Their training, the battles, and the

sacrifices were all for something. We

have rights and are free. If veterans came home, if they even came home, they came home to a country that may have been welcoming or may not have been, but they had the right to do so. We get to speak freely, be in any religion, bear arms, and choose our leader, so we will not be oppressed by a dictator, who cares not for the people.

What makes a veteran important

in my eyes is the sacrifices they have

made, the qualities they have earned,

and the results of the sacrifices they

have made.

They gave up parts of their life, saw many horrors, and some even gave up their lives. The ones who came back, came back with great qualities that

could only be forged in fire. Finally,

the result of their actions has given us freedom.

I believe the importance of a veteran

comes from the sacrifices they made

so that we can be a republic and not oppressed by a singular dictator but

One unified Nation, blessed under

God, undivided, with liberty and justice for all. — Matthew Alderson —————

Why is the Veteran Important?

Freedom is defined as the power

or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. As of 2022, in the United States of America, there are around 19 million veterans. Each and every one of these veterans served during a time of peace and/or war so that you and I could live

out this definition of freedom in our country today. Nowadays, the defini tion of freedom is being changed, and

often defined as being free to do what

you want to do. However, I disagree. True freedom is living in a way that is true to your nature, operating according to how you were designed, and living in obedience to the will of God. Today, I thank every veteran that has taken the sacred oath to defend and preserve our nation’s ideals of liberty and democracy, who have made it possible for me to enjoy true freedom and live in obedience to the will of God.

In our national anthem, we hear the words that Francis Scott Key wrote following the bombardment of Fort McHenry. “The land of the free, and the home of the brave.” Elmer Davis once said, “This nation will remain land of the free, only so long as it is the home of the brave.” Veterans are the brave. The men and women who have put on the uniform and served our country. Only because of them, can this nation remain the land of the free. Only because of them, do you and I have freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition to the government. Due to these

five assured freedoms, we live in the

freest country in the world, and we owe it to the brave — our veterans.

When sworn into the military, every service member states the oath of enlistment, an oath that ensures these people will defend our Constitution. However, when discharged from the military, veterans are not released from their oaths. The oath of enlistment is a lifelong commitment to support and defend the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. So, now discharged or not, every veteran is still serving this country, and promises to until death. From the 18-year-old new recruits to the World War II veterans - they have done us a great service, and have given the oath that they will continue to serve the United States of America for the rest of their lives.

Whether a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, they’ve all made sacri-

fices for us. They've endured family

separation. They’ve had to frequently move. They have undergone long and

difficult hours of service. Had little to

nothing to eat for weeks. Been burnt, frozen. Some will carry shrapnel in their bodies forever. Some have lost their eyesight or hearing. Their limbs. Many suffer from emotional damage. Some will have nightmares for the rest of their lives, and millions have

sacrificed their lives for our country.

These veterans have gone through what most of us could never imagine, and not for themselves. For you. For me. All so we could live in America and say, “I am free.”

On this day, with grateful hearts, we

honor our veterans and the sacrifices

they have made for us. The true freedom they have won for us, the lifelong service they have promised us, and the lives that have been given for us. We honor those who answered God’s call with “Here am I Lord. Send me, send me!” These patriots represent the best of us, and I am forever grateful for the brave who have kept us free. — Anna Kahny