A friend who experienced the terror of the Berlin Wall firsthand wrote a note to those who may have grown up without the specter of such a symbol of repression in the twenty years since it’s fall. I am reposting John Bernal’s words (slightly edited) with permission:

I’m sorry for this being a little long, but I wanted to share an experience with you. It’s about Freedom.

Twenty years ago today, the Berlin Wall falls and East and West Germany are finally reunited after 28 years of Communist oppression. Two years earlier, President Ronald Reagan gave a speech to hundreds of thousands of West Berliners at the Brandenburg Gate calling for the Soviet Premier, Mikhail Gorbachev, to “tear down this wall”.

Many of you may not have been born then or were very young children. I was stationed in Germany during that time and witnessed this historic event firsthand. Only to know what freedom ISN’T can one truly know what freedom IS. It was an emotional event witnessing this complete with goose bumps in the joy of seeing an oppressed people free crying and hugging each other.
In all, 1067 people are said to have died or been shot trying to escape E. Germany. I recall as a child viewing some actual footage of attempted escapes on the news only to see these people gunned down “reaching for freedom.” When the Soviets attempted to choke off West Berlin by a land and wall blockade shortly after WWII, from June 1948 – Sept 1949, the U.S. military responded by a massive effort to supply the 2 million West Berliners with food and fuel making 277,000 flights, many at 3-minute intervals. Yes…3 minute intervals.

I recall visiting West Berlin before the wall fell by auto and having to go through Soviet controlled checkpoints to get there. West Berlin is surrounded by E. Berlin. It’s an eerie feeling driving up to a gate patrolled by Soviet soldiers. I had to get out of car, walk past this man dressed in an oversized soviet uniform. We eyed each other and didn’t speak (not allowed) and there were no smiles. I went into a building with two-way mirrors and a camera watching me as I entered. I saw no one, just a slot in the mirror for me to pass my papers. A Russian voice said something, a hand came out of a hole and I gave my papers. More Russian was spoken (who knows what he said), they were handed back and I left the building. As the soldier outside reviewed my papers, I found myself looking over this young man head to foot, saying wow, so this is what my enemy looks like up close. He was just like you and me, but he looked sad and scrawny. Before East Germany fell, Russian soldiers were deserting in record numbers. They weren’t being fed, some were starving. You’re given a small time window in traveling through the Eastern sector back then and ONLY on a designated highway. If I didn’t reach the next checkpoint by an allotted time, I would be in big trouble. I was not to stop for any reason. I saw Soviet tanks along the way. It was a strange feeling.

I took part in the celebration when that wall came down. I pounded out my own chunks of the wall as a memento of that historic day of freedom. I still have pieces today after giving away some.

Why do I share this with you? Because it’s important for us to remember what Freedom truly is. Many Americans take freedom for granted. Why? Because they’ve never experienced or seen what freedom isn’t.

This Wednesday, we celebrate Veteran’s Day to remember ALL veterans who gave their lives and to those who sacrifice time away from families and friends to keep our country safe who are now stationed overseas in hostile environments.

The face of our enemies have changed, but nonetheless, we still have enemies who wish to destroy our country, our way of life and take away the freedom of others outside our country. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE. Too many times, our fellow Americans become complacent about what it takes to sustain our way of life. It takes sacrifice; it takes patriotism; it takes the love for life and the love of freedom. What does that look like? Look at anyone in uniform today. We may all have our differences on how this country is run (right vs left, independents and misfits) but when it comes to protecting our way of life, we fight side by side on the front lines. Unfortunately, many times the ultimate sacrifice is paid by these proud warriors who keep us all safe. So if you see a veteran in uniform out in public, don’t be afraid to go up to him/her and thank him or her for keeping us safe. It means so much having experienced that myself in 2002 while in uniform at a local restaurant here in S.A. An elderly woman came up to our table, held my arm and squeezed my hand thanking me for my helping keep our country safe. Me and my fellow Senior NCOs were taken back.

So to ALL those men and women in uniform and those who served proudly now in civilian life, THANK YOU for your service to our great country!!! God Bless America and our troops!!

Thank you, John Bernal, for writing the above comments and reminding us of the ongoing cost of freedom. Thank you also for you service and reminder to thank those putting themselves at risk for our freedom.