Memorial Day is celebrated this year on Mon. May 27. Memorial Day is a very special day for veterans and the men and women that are currently serving. Lots of services take place around the United States in order to honor fallen soldiers. Many graveyards will place American flags next to grave stones and do ceremonies. In Traverse City, in order to honor our local veterans and current serving soldiers the annual Patriot Game is held. Honoring those who have fallen is special because they put their lives on the line for us, so we should give back and thank them. Here at West, we have the honor to have a Vietnam war veteran, John Brazaski. 

  “Remembering the men and women in service, the ones that didn’t make it home, it’s a good thing to remember,” Brazaski said. 

  The military is a big commitment. People go off for the minimum of four years and defend our country. Whether in combat or not, you have no choice if you want to leave. Many famous people have a military background. For example, Patrick Tillman played in the NFL for four years, and then he and his brother went into combat together. Both were in the Army Rangers and served in Afghanistan. Patrick sadly died in combat. The NFL honors him every memorial day. Men and women around the United States put their lives on the line in order to protect the people. One of the hardest parts about the military is the commitment. 

  “[The military] is not like a college, and [you] go to school for four years and drop out after one year. In the service there is no dropping out, it’s a commitment for four years or six years depending on how many years you sign up for,” Brazaski said. 

  Joining the military is an opportunity everybody has. By the time you turn 18, you are able to enlist in any branch. Not only are you going to be honored by many people, but you are also going to get to meet new people, travel to new places and get to experience life changing events. 

  “I mean joining the service is a great opportunity; you get to go do things and see things that you probably wouldn’t usually get to do, and it was the same for me, even though it was a war time,” Brazaski said.