By Anthony Welch

The thought of being in a foreign country, walking through jungles and other rugged territory while bullets zip overhead frightens me.

I could never be in the military (not to mention, I’m sure my asthma would disqualify me). I consider myself a relatively brave man, but I am not courageous enough to serve our country. That’s why I respect and thank all the millions of veterans who have.

In this issue, we celebrate and honor all veterans as part of Veterans Day. On page 4, you can read about a small sampling of veterans in the Colorado Springs area.

Words are not enough to express the gratitude I have, especially for my family members that are veterans. That includes my grandfather Charles Cornett, who took shrapnel to the hand while serving in the Korean War as a teenager. My father, Harry Welch, served not one, but two tours in Vietnam while in the Army. My uncle Richard Welch served one year on a ship, while in the Navy during the Vietnam war. My uncle Wayne Cornett served in the Air Force.

I also have a ton of friends who have been in the military, deployed or served overseas. All I can say is thank you. You did what I probably could’ve never done, and it’s appreciated.