I Am an American Soldier

Maybe it's just me, but sometimes I feel when we watch our soldiers march in a parade or a special ceremony that we get so mesmerized by their crisp uniforms, perfect physics, stern faces, precision movements and bright medals that we forget these soldiers are folks just like us; with families, dreams, loved ones. Remember the freckled face kid next to you in grade school? How about the jock that raced the track faster than anyone? Or maybe the quiet little girl that unconsciously curled her hair with her fingers? And no one forgets the schoolyard bully with zip for discipline. Whatever happened to the silent child that read books all the time? Or the boy that avoided group activities? What about the know-it-all teacher's pet? And don't forget the punk kids with the colorful hairdos. Did you ever look upon any of those kids as future soldiers? Well, what if you were to discover that all of them pledged their lives to forever defend their country, its freedom and you against our enemies?