Eleven years ago, James A. Nier, Texas Veterans Commission executive director, spoke to members of the Killeen Heights Rotary Club Nov. 7 in honor of Veterans Day.Ã'Ã'  "Live and Let Live" is the motto of the Veterans, Nier explained.Ã'Ã'  He went on to say "above all else, a veteran is an American.Ã'Ã'  Some gave all they had to give.....their lives." Nier added.

Nier revealed, "twenty-five million Americans are veterans; forty-eight million have served in a military uniform; one million have been lost; another one and a half million are wounded; and six hundred thousand individuals have served a tour in Iraq."Ã'Ã'  He added, "freedom is not free and the price is high."Ã'Ã' 

"Honor them now and in the future by expressing patriotism at home," Nier said.Ã'Ã'  "When we publicly declare our patriotism it sends a strong message to the world that we as people areÃ'Ã' willing to make the sacrifice to show we are the greatest nation," Nier stressed.

He added, "it doesn't matter what we think about the war in Iraq, what matters is that we support our troops and are there when they come home."Ã'Ã'  Nier closed with a poem, "Ive Got Your Back."

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