Veterans Day is celebrated annually on November 11th across America. People use this day to honor veterans within their communities or homes.

The Saturday prior, Downtown Kissimmee held its annual Veterans Day Parade. Motorcycles were decorated in red, white, and blue, color guard troupes marched down the street, and community members came to witness it all.

What I latched onto the most, was the young JROTC cadets, a Saint Cloud High School program, marching at the front of the parade.

Before attending, I learned more about the history of Veterans Day.

During World War 1, the allied nations and Germany agreed to an armistice or a truce on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. A year later, President Woodrow Wilson determined that November 11th shall be remembered in honor of the bravery that the troops showcased.

It remained Armistice Day, until World War II. Clearly, America had not been cleansed of violence after the “war to end all wars,” which caused the name to change to Veterans Day, in order to honor every solider who has and will protect the nation.

When I looked into the eyes of the cadets, I thought of my father — a Marine veteran who enlisted at about the same age those young people, and I, are today.

My dad was an 18-year-old, Dominican from Queens, New York.

At a young age, he looked down at his hands, smooth and child-like, yet hungry to lift more than cans at a bodega. He was hungry for more than a corporate job at Wallstreet. He wanted a path out of the dead ends of a small life. Something that would connect him to the abundant world, not just drift him through it.

In the Marines, my dad got stationed in Tunisia, North Africa. That is where he met my mom, a young Tunisian woman working at the American Embassy. They met, they fell in love, and they had me. A tale as old as time.

As a kid, I remember watching the film, Across the Universe, with my parents. The movie was centered during the Vietnam War, showing the way it affected people of all ages and contribution.

One scene in particular, remains with me today. The song I Want You, by the Beatles played as young men carried the statue of liberty on their backs. Uncle Sam haunted them; lyrics pulsed through their skin as the soldiers cracked beneath the pressure.

Now, I see so many of my peers searching for that very same purpose. I see them beginning to look at their hands and ask: where do I belong?

Every veteran, present and past, was once 18 years old. Some dreamed of change, change from their own life or the nation as a whole. Some dreamed of rage, pain once pushed in careless directions. Some pursue it for education, a desire to better themselves.

I approached the Saint Cloud JROTC Staff Sargent Garcia with that in mind. Coming from someone who trains recruits, he wanted to highlight that “just because you don’t want to serve for 20 years, it does not mean you’re wasting your time.”

He specifies, “If you want to do your three years, get your benefits, and move on with your life, use it as a steppingstone, that is perfectly acceptable.”

Personally, he explained that the military “helped him excel and set him up for success, but it is not all I am.” He emphasized that he is a person first, before he is his title. I saw a lot of power in that.  As college approaches, I had developed the habit of restricting myself to one-dimensional pursuits. So used to checking the boxes, telling my life story in 250 words, that I forgot there is freedom waiting for me on the other side.

Two high school cadets from the program, Wilcox and Garza spoke about the disciplined gained from the program. They spoke on the misconceptions, explaining that most of the program is student run which encourages leadership and collaboration. Both don’t necessarily plan to enter the Military, but they are sure that the skills they continue to sharpen will support their future.

I learned at the Veterans Day Parade, that community is never something wasted. Being a part of a community does not mean you must restrain yourself within it. You only gain as much as you put in, making a true community an independent journey done through collective network.

From the motorcycles driving through the streets, to the proud veterans speaking about the past, and the inspiring cadets who marched with honor, this event was truly transformative.

I realize now that every single person deserves the opportunity to be a part of something. Whether that is college, or the military, or none, or only some!

Similarly to what Sargent Garcia said, a community doesn’t need to be the last stop on your journey, but it certainly can be a start.

When my dad was 18, he saw the military as a chance to take lead on the train of his future, rather than wait for someone else to burn the coal.

I am grateful to have multiple opportunities because of the commitment my father made. I plan to honor his hard work by finding a community of my own.

That, after all, is what Veterans Day is all about. Honoring those who served, by upholding honest values today.