By Rep. Randy Forbes

It was mid-summer in our nation’s capital, and the sun beat down on marble monuments and city sidewalks. I squinted and stood shoulder to shoulder with members of my staff handing out water bottles as our guests filed off of the buses, slowly but determined. They were eager. And so were we.

The National Park Service had just opened the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. My office arranged for veterans from the Fourth District to come to our nation’s capital to experience the new memorial firsthand. We knew the memorial would be meaningful and that it was unlikely many veterans would have another opportunity to see it.

I remember wondering how everyone would fare in the heat — if they would wish they had stayed home. But I could see in their faces that no Washington, D.C., July heat would keep them from a moment they had waited decades for.

From above, the World War II memorial is breathtaking. It is the size of a football field, the architecture grand and the design precise. When you look at it head-on, the granite pillars stand tall, boasting the fortitude and strength of the United States. A fountain sprays at the center, signaling peace and hope. It’s a beautiful contrast.

But it is nothing compared to viewing the memorial alongside the very people who saw the second World War firsthand. When we arrived at the memorial walkway, many veterans paused, taken aback by memories and emotions. Some grabbed their sons’ or daughters’ arms and walked slowly with them. Others looked up at the tall pillars and held back tears.

To watch a World War II veteran place a hand on one of the memorial’s 4,000 gold stars is to humbly realize the weighty price of freedom.

Here we mark the price of freedom, the memorial reads.

That day will forever be etched in my memory. As I watched those veterans, I thought of my own father. I thought of the POWs, the Code Talkers, the Women in Wartime, the D-Day veterans. These were the men and women who walked the land in Europe, who fought on the front lines, who nursed the wounded, who watched their friends take dying breaths. I was — I still am — filled with respect and appreciation.

I am thankful for taking that moment when we did. As their generation ages, we move closer to closing the chapter on that page in our history. An estimated 413 World War II veterans die each day, and by the mid-2030s, it’s likely there will be no more living. We are in our final moments with the members of this generation. Their voices are fading.

As they pass their legacy along, we have another generation of veterans to honor and support. Theirs is a different story, made up of different moments and experiences, but birthed out of the same love of country, strength and bravery. In this way, our nation’s veterans are connected. They are the men and women who have kept our nation free.

One of my greatest privileges as a representative in Congress is to advocate for our nation’s veterans. The realities they face today stand in stark contrast to moments at the memorials. Red tape, long VA clinic lines, mounds of paperwork and backlogs are no way to treat our heroes. They fought for America, and we have a responsibility to fight for them: for excellence in hospital care and benefits without strings.

This Veterans Day, let us pause to thank those who commit their lives to our nation. They have given their all for us and we should be proud to fight for them. As you are in your neighborhood, shake the hand of a veteran. Ask them to stand in your Sunday school class and share their stories. Send a Facebook message to a veteran you know and simply say thank you.

When you view our nation from the vantage point of our veterans, you too will humbly realize the price of freedom.

Congressman J. Randy Forbes represents Virginia’s Fourth District, which includes Suffolk, in the U.S. House of Representatives. Visit his website at forbes.house.gov.