There is a man you know all too well. He is the man you call your neighbor. He is the man who is your complete, go-to manual to fix anything with wheels or a motor. He is the man with the broad shoulders and contagious laugh who stands behind you in line at the gas station every Friday evening to buy his “winning” lottery ticket. He is the man who helps you to load the fifty-pound bag of mulch you just purchased from Lowe’s into the back of your truck. He is the man who always knows more than what the History Channel, CNN, and Discovery Network can seem to teach him. He is the man who never misses a Sunday of NASCAR races or a late, late Saturday night BSU game. He is the man who doesn’t ask for much—just an occasional medium-rare filet and an ice cold beer. He is a son. He is a brother. He is a husband. He is a father. He is a red-blooded American man who shares the same spirit as your brother, your husband, your father, your grandfather, your uncle. This is a man you know all too well.

But here is what you don’t know. This same man went to war with the U.S. Army when he was just 21 years old. He and his 24th infantry brothers were in the Battle of Medina Ridge. And when he came home from the Middle East, he wasn’t done serving. With no time for an intermission, this man took up his role as loving husband, compassionate father, loyal brother, dedicated son full-on.  Before you knew this man all too well, he was bravely protecting your rights to be a neighbor, to drive your car, and to buy your “winning” lottery ticket.  He is the one of the brave soldiers who made it possible for you to purchase mulch for your yard, for you to flip through 300 channels worth of History, CNN, and Discovery. He is the man fighting the worst kind of enemies so that you would never have to miss your Sunday of NASCAR races, medium-rare steaks, or a beer in a frosty pint glass.

This man is Robert Kent Freeman. This man is my father, my friend, and my hero. We can never forget why we are free. Take a second to notice these heroes who walk among us—the men and women you know all too well.  Take a second to thank someone who served.  Pick up a soldier’s tab in the drive-through burger joint you love, or make an effort to tip your hat to those brave men and women as you walk through the airport on your next vacation. Don’t pick just today to honor these exemplary human spirits. Pick any day you get the chance.

[image error] [image error]

God bless America and God bless the extraordinary man who I have the privilege of calling my Dad.

Happy Veterans Day.