Graduation Speech: Afte After The Veterans

Thank you CTL for allowing me to continue my service to this great nation, community, and fellow individuals in crisis. Whether it is the war torn streets of Baghdad, or an individual suffering alone in the confines of their minds and phone screen, I am able to still reach out and make a difference. I know from first hand this experience is universal. It is the collective human consciousness and need of belonging that has allowed our civilization to flourish. As a veteran (Warrior) I am reminded of a great quote by author Steven Pressfield, “The return Warrior/Veteran may not realize it, but they have acquired an MBA in enduring adversity and a Ph.D. in resourcefulness, tenacity and the capacity for hard work.”

Marching band; copious amounts of people scoff at the sound of those words. I often hear students commenting on how easy marching band is, how we don’t train like the football players do. At Anderson High School, that’s not the case, the marching band trains for just as long. As a band of over 125 individuals, it takes determination, pride, and confidence to achieve the goals we have set forth to accomplish. As a leader of the saxophone section, I know what it’s like to face failure, to overcome and turn it into success and to march on with confidence.

Minister: Please be seated. We are here today in this magnificent place, surrounded by all of the elements, ocean, earth, trees and fire! (point to them) to witness and celebrate the commitment of these two amazing human beings, Yarelis and Paul. Family, friends, you are the most important people in Paul and Yarelis’ life and you have been asked to be here to be recognized for the special part you took in the love they share today.

I believe that those who have served our country in the past deserve to be treated with the utmost respect and appreciation. It outrages me when people talk badly about our veterans and attempt to take from them. I have challenged these people by donating to organizations like the Wounded Warrior project and by showing those around me that they can help those who have fought for our freedom. By doing so, I hope to get more people to spread the word on the poor treatment of the most important people in this nation and hopefully, the way they are treated will change for the better in the near future.

“Congratulations, Bob.” Ryan said to me as we came outside. “What?” I asked. Why was she saying that?

When in the course of my lifetime, it becomes clear it is time to separate and go my own way, and live out my own life. To dissolve bonds I have had with him my entire life. I am entitled to my right to live out my own life, natural rights given to me by our founding fathers. It would behove me to experience living on my own, to help me later in life. I appreciate everything that he has done for me, but it has come time to separate.

Veterans are those who served in the military and fought in the war. They are someone who supported the country. Without them, United States of America would not be formed. Freedom, liberty, and pursuit of happiness are rights that we have today, but without the veteran these rights will be all gone and America will not be the America that we see today. They are the one who make our dream possible.

America’s gift to my generation is her flag. Each thing on her flag represents something different. America has presented us with her stars and stripes. Our country has given my generation her red, white, and blue. She has gifted us with herself.

Honorable members of the principal table, deer teachers, beloved parents, friends and all guests, good evening. It is a great honor and an eminent responsibility to be able to express through just a few words the feelings of a whole group that has concluded a stage, which embraces an endless amount of experiences and emotions, that even the most beautiful words would not be sufficient to describe them. This path was not easy at all; in the course we faced disappointments, deception, and sadness.

The clock will still tick. For many people, the future seems scary since you never know what will happen out in the world. Today I am going to tell you that even with the challenges and roadblocks we face, the future is not as scary as we might think. In these following paragraphs, I will talk about how in the future we will have the ability to make self-driving vehicles, Africa self-sufficient, renewable energy cost less than non-renewable energy, and even make a drug that can help people with autism.

A veteran is someone who has served a long time in the military, no matter what their age. Veterans are important to our freedom because while serving their time, you have to remember that they are fighting for your right to be free in the United States. Without them, there wouldn’t be any freedom in this world. They fight for what they believe in and what is right for the country. You have to remember, these war vets are putting their lives on the line for people they don’t even know.

A Veteran whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America,” for an amount of “up to, and including his/her life.” I’m honored to be speaking with you today on such an important occasion. We’re here today to honor our service members and to remember their sacrifices they have made and the courage it take to defend honor, duty and the country. May we always be humbly grateful…. to the brave American patriots…who suffered and sacrificed for the freedom of all Americans.