Veterans remember.

They remember where they were and what they were asked to do while defending America as members of the armed forces.

They remember the hardships they endured and the sacrifices they and their comrades made while fighting in America's wars.

They remember the ones they had to leave behind, and the ones who have since passed on.

Many of them remember every day.

For the rest of us, there is Veterans Day, a day to honor veterans of the U.S. armed forces, from the Revolutionary War to World Wars I and II, to Vietnam to the current conflict in the Middle East.

On Monday, when veterans groups gather to honor their own, we should all take a moment to think about what veterans have meant to our country.

After all, it is us, the ones who never served, who have reaped the greatest benefit from the commitment and sacrifices they have made.

The first Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day, took place at the end of World War I, when fighting ceased at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year. Lawrence Township will observe Veterans Day at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Lawrence High School auditorium. The program will specifically recognize veterans of the Vietnam War. More than 70 Vietnam veterans will be in attendance Saturday. Each of them either resides in Lawrence now, or did at the time of service.

Whether veterans enlisted voluntarily or were drafted into service, they are a rare breed. They were willing to face danger to fight for their nation and to put their lives on the line at a moment's notice.

Our veterans stood strong in the face of Japanese kamikaze pilots, who attacked in wave after wave of suicide death runs. They remember the faces of their comrades in their final moments. They have liberated concentration camps and fought terrorists, flown on bombing runs over Europe under enemy fire and patrolled behind enemy lines with death lurking around every corner.

And they did it all because defending the freedoms of America and its way of life are important.

And while many have distinguished themselves by seeing and doing things no one should have to do, others served in more simple ways, by learning a trade and providing a service to their branch of the military.

Their efforts may seem mundane, but they are just important. They are doctors and lawyers and engineers and scientists and everyday guys doing everyday things, all in support of their comrades and with the nation's best interests at heart.

Their role, while on the surface less heroic, are as valuable as any.

No matter what they did, it is important to remember and honor America's veterans and to thank them for defending the American way of life.