My America—
Dani Pettrey

Flags ripping in the dark breeze, illuminated by punctuated bursts of lights and explosive pops. I was quite young, but our country’s bicentennial still looms large in my heart—the unified sense of patriotism on the Nation’s Mall that 4^th of July night was a galvanizing celebration of patriot pride.

Four decades later, this time in the bright sun of morn, our flag unfurled, rippling along the slip of wind blowing through the brick enclosure. My husband attached the flag to the pole at Ft. McHenry that beautiful summer morning, the grommets clanging along the metal pole as our Stars and Stripes raised up, wafting on the breeze. The sun gleaming in my eyes, my husband standing at attention as the Star-Spangled banner played, patriotism once again beat fast in my chest. Two hundred years earlier, Francis Scott Key watched from a ship in the Chesapeake Bay to see if our soldiers could hold the fort under British attack in the War of 1812.

As the haze gunfire died and dawn broke, our flag still remained over the Fort, our valiant soldiers holding it through the perilous night. Standing in the very Fort, watching the flag fly high, knowing Francis Scott Key penned the Star-Spangled banner from the bay at the Fort’s edge, a sense of patriotism swept through the crowd.

As we approach the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, as a descendant of a sixth-generation military family and veteran spouse, I am ever mindful that our Nation’s liberty is hard-fought legacy of sacrifice. It began with a young group of patriots, many in their 20s and 30s, in 1776 and has rippled through history to the present day—carried forward by those willing to risk their lives in duty and service, fortified by the support of their families and, I pray, upheld by a grateful nation.

Two hundred and fifty years ago, fifty-six courageous men risked everything—charges of treason, imprisonment, even death—to declare our Nation’s freedom. John Adams, an integral member of this heroic group, admonished, “We must hang together or assuredly we shall hang separately.” United as one front, they proclaimed our freedom loud and sure.

From the birth of our Nation, the Declaration was defended by those will to serve. Liberty required sacrifice. The Revolutionary War was fought by farmers, tradesmen and young men like my ancestor who was barely seventeen at the time, all willing to die to protect our young country’s freedom. They shouldered muskets and faced down an empire.

George Washington, facing the bleakest days of the Revolution, reminded his weary soldiers, “The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army.” His words proved true, not only for those fighting in 1776, but for every generation that has defended our freedom since. From the muddy fields of the Civil War to the trenches of World War I, from the beaches of Normandy to the mountains of Afghanistan, freedom has always been secured at great cost by those willing defend our liberty. That charge, first spoken by Washington, echoes through time and finds its equal measure in our soldiers today. As General Colin Powell reminded us, ‘Freedom is not free, and we are reminded of that every day by the men and women who serve.’ Their courage, their sacrifice, and their families’ steadfast support continue to uphold the promise of liberty for the millions yet unborn.”

But service is not a solitary act. Its impact reaches far beyond the battlefield. From Martha Washington, who traveled to military encampments to rally weary troops during the Revolution, to the military spouses of today who shoulder the weight of long deployments and empty seats at the dinner table, sacrifice takes many forms. A spouse who maintains the home base while their loved one is oceans away, who moves from base to base with resilience—these sacrifices are quieter than that of the battlefield, but no less essential. They are the unseen backbone of our armed forces, standing watch on the home front so their loved ones can stand guard for freedom abroad.

Finally, the responsibility to safeguard our liberty does not rest solely on the shoulders of the courageous soldiers and their families; it rests on every American citizen. We continue to uphold freedom when we vote, when we support our soldiers—honoring all the sacrifices they have made for the last two-hundred and fifty years—and, lastly, by teaching our children about our country’s valiant history.

It is more than our responsibility—it’s our duty as citizens of this free Nation to teach the next generation about the legacy of courage and sacrifice left by young patriots, our soldiers, and military families. Read them the Declaration of Independence, support our veterans on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, talk to veterans, hear their stories, and stand when the flag passes by.

The Washington Policy Institute is extending this call by offering scholarships through a patriot essay contest for high school students. Each of the four topics—including today’s prompt on what America means to you on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence—focuses on patriotic themes.