Mr. Riehm served in the United States Army. He went to Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, Texas, to serve as a 91 foxtrot. While serving, he learned to be a combat medic and a psychiatric technician.

One of the most important things he learned is that no one in the world is the same, he said. People have different backgrounds, religions, creeds and races —  Mr. Riehm said the diversity he learned in the Army caused him to be a better person and more whole. Overall, he said he feels it was an excellent experience.

To Mr. Riehm, Veterans Day is a day to honor the sacrifices made at war.

“Our freedoms came with great cost and great loss. Remembering this gift is everything,” he said.

Mrs. Johnson is an active-duty Marine and a mother of a veteran. She has two sons who enlisted as seniors.

Coming from a viewpoint of being in the military, she understands the sacrifice you have to make.

Still, at times, it is hard to not always have her children around, she said. Families with veterans understand this, and she believes people should be more appreciative of what veterans families go through.

Veterans Day is very important to her.

“Veterans Day is honoring the sacrifice of all of our military for our country so we can enjoy our freedoms! They sacrifice their safety, time with family and friends — all so that they can help ensure our country’s safety and freedoms,” Mrs. Johnson said.

Mr. Hong served in the United States Navy. He joined the Navy in 2003 because he wanted to help other people.

He said his service helps him hold himself to high standards. Being in the military taught him how to care for others, and he used that to meet their needs as a teacher.

He believes Veterans Day is a day when we honor all the men and women who gave their time.

“It’s about honoring those who have gave the ultimate sacrifice,” Mr. Hong said.

Mr. Gill served in the Marine Corps after graduating in 2005. He was able to attend Vanguard for college because of the GI Bill, which covers the cost of college for people in the military.

He is one of only 5,217 living combat-wounded survivors from Iraq and Afghanistan. This profound experience has shaped his character with hopes of becoming an English or history teacher, he said.

Mr. Gill believes that people need to put on a smile and have good energy.

“It’s the best we had yesterday and even better yet to come. Veterans Day is about commemorating those few individuals that did sacrifice themselves for that greater purpose we call America,” Mr. Gill said.

Thank you to all the veterans that have served to make our country a great place.