A few years ago Troop 256's word of the year was "Gratitude." A scout is grateful when he follows the Scout Law; it comes under 'courteous' and 'kind.' Our nation has designated Nov. 11th as the day we all say "Thank you" to those who guarantee us our freedoms and rights. There are at least these members of the Troop 256 family who are veterans:
James "JW" Sterett, USMC reservist
Steven Barrett, USN
Phillip Stewart, USMC reservist
Clayton Elliott, USAF
Adam Schwerin, USAF
Nolan Fitch-Ramos, US Army National Guard
Dan Melcher, USAF
and two who are becoming service members:
Nick Sacco, USAF ROTC
OJ Barakat, USAF ROTC

All these are Eagle Scouts and four were troop SPLs. Also at last night's troop meeting there were two fathers, Greg Miller and Jason Letkiewicz who are USAF vets and a mother, Rosie Gregorec, a USMC vet. (OK, Rosie was not there but at some USMC birthday bash...).

President Kennedy said in part this on Nov. 11, 1961 at Arlington National Cemetary:
"There is no way to maintain the frontiers of freedom without cost and commitment and risk. There is no swift and easy path to peace in our generation. ...
But let no nation confuse our perseverance and patience with fear of war or unwillingness to meet our responsibilities. We cannot save ourselves by abandoning those who are associated with us, or rejecting our responsibilities.
In the end, the only way to maintain the peace is to be prepared in the final extreme to fight for our country -- and to mean it.
As a nation, we have little capacity for deception. We can convince friend and foe alike that we are in earnest about the defense of freedom only if we are in earnest -- and I can assure the world that we are."

I think it is said even better in this quote of Zell Miller, former governor and US senator from Ga. and a sergeant in the USMC:
“For it has been said so truthfully that it is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the agitator, who has given us the freedom to protest.
It is the soldier who salutes the flag, serves beneath the flag, whose coffin is draped by the flag, who gives that protester the freedom to abuse and burn that flag.”

Thank you Veterans.