One of the most encouraging results of this past presidential election is the visibly revived interest of Americans in our country's politics and direction.

For those of us who wake up safely every morning, pursuing our life goals or just getting by, it is easy to forget that the some of the bills, policies, and laws signed with pens in Washington have to be carried out with bullets overseas. Regardless of an individual's opinion on war and the military, it would be cold and callous to ignore the sacrifice, spirit, and strength of our service members past and present. Though there are countless examples of war bringing out the worst in humanity, there are certainly just as many that exemplify our best qualities.

Having served in the Army myself, Veteran's Day occurs 365 times a year. There is truly no day that goes by where I do not reflect on my experiences in the service. I was fortunate to have returned home from a deployment in Iraq with my limbs in tact, and my mind relatively unscarred. There are so many that can not say the same.

One of my fondest memories of my time in the Army is the camaraderie and diversity among the troops. I dare not say that everyone got along or that bias, ignorance, and racism were absent, but at the end of the day, as different as we all were individually, the goal was shared by everyone to complete the mission so that we could all get home to our loved ones. I remember meeting a female soldier from Rhode Island who had "never seen a Chinese guy except in the Olympics." I remember an Iraqi gentleman asking me why a Chinaman would have an American Flag stitched on the shoulder of his uniform. "Because I'm an American I told him."

Personally, Veteran's Day is not about politics or nationalism. It is about those who did not have the luxury of debating, pointing fingers, and philosophizing, but who simply had to gear up and move forward when their country asked them to do its dirty work.

AIA would also like to remind everyone that Asian Americans have been a part of every military conflict dating back to the Civil War. Please visit the Army's site dedicated to the Asian American presence in the service at http://www.army.mil/asianpacificsoldiers/

This is a reprint of an article that appeared in Asians in America Magazine.