Silence fills the room as I’m reading a letter sent home from Alex. He is at boot camp. My emotions swing from laughter to sadness. “One of my favorite things is the breakfast,” he writes and think, that’s Alex. Then, he writes about everything he misses. With the bravery, strength, and sacrifices soldiers made, the US has been made a better place.

Having bravery. The thought of knowing you may have to kill other people, going to someplace you’ve never been, or knowing you could get hurt, takes bravery. I like to think of myself as a brave person, but I’m not brave like the soldiers who put this country on their backs.

Being strong. Not quitting when things get hard, having the right mindset, and not being able to go and do what you want takes strength both mentally and physically. I think one of the hardest parts of being a soldier is having the mental strength to get through each day.

Making sacrifices. Leaving everyone you love back home, not being able to talk to your family and friends for months, and their life are things soldiers sacrifice for us. For me, I wouldn’t be able to leave my family and friends knowing I couldn’t talk to them for months. Not only do the soldiers have to make sacrifices, but their families do too. Having someone close to you leave (not knowing if they will return) is difficult for the family members and servicemen and women alike.

The US was built on bravery, strength, and sacrifices people like Alex have made. Reading the letter from Alex makes me think about everybody before him who gave us protection, opportunities, and freedom. Thanks to them, we have freedom of speech and are allowed to say what we want against the government. Americans have all of the veterans and soldiers to thank for that.