When I was in ninth grade, one of my friend’s fathers was deployed. Every morning at the bus stop, we would listen to her give us the official countdown until her father was home. It became a part of our morning routine and we started looking forward to the day her dad was going to be home too, but, one day my friend did not come to the bus stop. Later that day, my mom told my sister and I that her father had been killed by a roadside bomb.

The countdown was at five days.

I have spent my entire life surrounded by a military family, both literally and figuratively. I guess when your Dad makes a career out of the military you learn quickly that a family is not always tied together strictly by blood.

The entire post responded with an outpouring of love and support for the family. All of the students of the four post schools signed large banners and wrote cards. On the day of the memorial service we lined the streets with American flags, posters and yellow ribbons along with the rest of the community to honor this man’s life. Many of those people had never even met him, but they were there nonetheless.

When my family moved to Alabama the following summer, we bought a home off post. It may not seem extraordinary, but, for my sister and I, it was the first time we had ever lived off post, and it was a big change.

I noticed I did not see as many American flags hanging outside or any yellow ribbons proudly displayed on windows and cars. I couldn’t understand how a community so close to a military base could forget about the soldiers just down the road. It almost felt like they were invisible.

This Monday, we will be celebrating Veterans’ Day — a day meant to honor all the men and women, past and present, who have faithfully served our country. UNA ROTC will host their annual Veterans’ Day ceremony and some of you may stop to listen as the ROTC cadets read out the names of the fallen soldiers.

This Veterans’ Day, though, I hope students stop to shake a veteran’s hand. I hope we give more than a passing glance at the cadet reading the names of those who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. I hope we to pause to remember.

I ask that students stop and say a simple “thank you” to our fellow students wearing a uniform that day. These men and women have made a commitment to serve our country and have agreed to protect our freedoms so the rest of us could sleep peacefully in our beds at night. They’re heroes in the making, and some of them are only 18-years old. I couldn’t do what they’re doing.

There are a lot of action movies promoting the idea of a superhero. We expect heroes to be able to fly and read minds, but, really, we walk beside heroes every day.

Those soldiers will never have action figures modeled after them and young children will not bother to learn their names like they do for popular sports icons

The real heroes out there are soldiers. They’re people like my dad, who spent 34 years putting on a uniform and tying his combat boots before walking out the door. They’re the students who come in to class on Monday mornings after a long weekend of field training.

No, they don’t wear capes and they can’t read minds either, but I firmly believe my Dad, and all of those who serve in our armed forces, have superpowers.

So, on behalf of The Flor-Ala editorial teams, I would like to say thank you to those who have, will and are serving in the armed forces. You truly are heroes.

at the cadet reading the names of those who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. I hope we to pause to remember.

I ask that students stop and say a simple “thank you” to our fellow students wearing a uniform that day. These men and women have made a commitment to serve our country and have agreed to protect our freedoms so the rest of us could sleep peacefully in our beds at night. They’re heroes in the making, and some of them are only 18-years old. I couldn’t do what they’re doing.

There are a lot of action movies promoting the idea of a superhero. We expect heroes to be able to fly and read minds, but, really, we walk beside heroes every day.

Those soldiers will never have action figures modeled after them and young children will not bother to learn their names like they do for popular sports icons

The real heroes out there are soldiers. They’re people like my dad, who spent 34 years putting on a uniform and tying his combat boots before walking out the door. They’re the students who come in to class on Monday mornings after a long weekend of field training.

No, they don’t wear capes and they can’t read minds either, but I firmly believe my Dad, and all of those who serve in our armed forces, have superpowers.

So, on behalf of The Flor-Ala editorial teams, I would like to say thank you to those who have, will and are serving in the armed forces. You truly are heroes.