I, myself, have never been in battle, or seen the horrors of war. Yet, in the process of searching for the recipient of the Cleveland Catholic Forum’s Award of Service & Valor, I have talked with several soldiers, several brothers and sisters, and many moms and dads, who have sent their beloved off to war. Many of the stories have moved me deeply and ignited in my heart a more fervent respect for the American solider. Here are some questions to ask ourselves to show us how grateful we should be.

Did you enlist in the war simply because you wanted to defend your country after 9/11?

Have you accepted, willingly and knowingly, that daily you could lose your life in service of your country and loved ones?

Have you put yourself in the line of fire, and put yourself in more risk than truly necessary simply to better protect the lives of the soldiers under your command?

Did you see your friends blown up around you?

In the midst of a battle, with explosions around you, did you stop fighting to save the life of an Iraqi woman, who would have been killed by extremists?

Have you been to hell for months at a time, and kept your faith in God and helped to strengthen the faith of those around you?

These questions reflect the hard truth of what really has happened in this war on terrorism. All of them inspiring. You won’t really find a word about it in the press - maybe only if they had lost their own life in battle. Yet these are the real daily lives of tens of thousands of men and women who have been valiantly doing their duty for our country, while we have enjoyed the peacefulness of our daily lives and the richness that America provides.

Most Americans have a deep thankfulness in their hearts to the men and women of the United States military. My friends, it’s time to let that be known. Say thank you to a soldier, for I tell you this: you owe them your life, your job, your home, your faith, and your freedoms. They are protecting you. At a minimum, you owe them a thank you, a prayer, and maybe a nice cold beer!

So with gratitude deep in my heart, I say:

Dear American Solider,

May God Bless you. May God protect you and our beloved nation. My beloved wife and kids sleep in peace at night because of you. I owe you my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Yours,

Joe Soltis, An American