2025 THIRD PLACE WINNER

Mikayla M.

Ocean Grove

“Servicemen of the Century”

When you reflect on the founding and history of our country, you can observe the many brave people who stood and fought for what was right, either with words or out on the battlefield. Some traits that they share are perseverance and bravery. During the Revolutionary War, everyday farmers became soldiers who fought and won battles. General George Washington had failed many times before, but he knew how to persevere and keep going.

Next, during the Civil War, when Abraham Lincoln was President of the United States of America, he was not fighting with guns, like the men of the Union Army, he fought with his words.

Decades later, in 1917, the men of the United States would be fighting again. This time, they were fighting in Europe against Germany trying to expand its empire. Over two million men would be drafted to fight in Europe before World War 1 was over. Many of those men gave their lives to serve our country. About twenty years later, the second World War was in motion. The United States of America entered the war after the 1941 attacks on Pearl Harbor. Just like in the first World War, millions of men were drafted into the military to serve our country and many lost their lives.

Today, there are over two million men and women in our military, and about 1.3 million of those people are in active duty. We should respect them for the work they are doing for our country. God Bless America!