Honouring Sacrifice: What do we owe our veterans?

When I was in third grade, we had a special visitor during one of our classes: a World War II veteran, an old and fragile man who was pushing eighty at the time. I remember coming home, and when my parents asked if anything interesting had happened at school, I told them we had a visit from a “veterinarian.” When they suggested it might have been a veteran, I insisted they were wrong. I was a stubborn kid who believed she was always right. I went on to tell my parents about some of the stories the veteran shared with us—how difficult it was for them to survive and some of the dangerous special military operations they had participated in. I knew that in my own family, we had lost people during those wars. My great-grandfather and his son are buried together in a communal grave, though unfortunately, we don't have many details about their story. For a long time, however, the image of old, fragile people was clearly associated in my mind with veterans. The wars seemed distant, and the veterans were aging. Our school organized special commemorative days where we wrote postcards and brought flowers to graves. I also knew that you were supposed to give up your seat on public transit to veterans, but I often did so more because they were older rather than because I clearly understood their military service.

In Canada, November 11 is Remembrance Day, a day for Canadians to reflect on and commemorate the sacrifices made by veterans, with a particular focus on those who fought in the First World War. The day has a beautiful symbol: the poppy flower. People are encouraged to purchase poppy flower pins, and the money raised goes to support organizations that provide services and assistance to veterans. It is a truly beautiful tradition. Around this time in November, I was chatting with a gentleman who expressed particular frustration that many Canadians today have a hard time truly connecting with the meaning of this day. In general, he felt that people do not fully recognize the respect and reverence veterans and armed forces personnel deserve. During our conversation, I told him that only those who have firsthand experience of war can truly understand and appreciate the special place veterans hold in society.

That conversation struck me, as it reminded me that one of my high school classmates is actually a soldier. He volunteered at the age of 22, and both of us turned 25 in the summer of 2024. He has been serving for the past three years, making him a veteran of the russo-Ukrainian War. It’s chilling for me to realize that he now carries trauma, loss, and pain as part of his everyday life. And as he continues to serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, those challenges will only pile up. Since russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there are thousands of stories like the one about my classmate. I have been thinking and reflecting more about veterans, the support they need, and what we, as a society, should be doing for them.

So, what do we owe people like him—those giving the ultimate sacrifice, their lives, to defend our homeland, our everyday routines, and our peace? Should they occupy a special place in our society? What extra perks and privileges can we offer them as a way of giving back? And what about those who will never come home, the ones who lost their lives in the fight? The loss of human life, unfortunately, is one of the inevitable consequences of war. Should we take extra care of their families, those who’ve lost their loved ones? These are complex questions that require commitment from the government, the international diasporic community, and every citizen. Here, I’ll share my personal reflections, which revolve around two key questions: What do we owe veterans transitioning from active combat to civilian life? And what do we owe those who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives? In Ukrainian, we have a saying we use when speaking about the dead: Вічная пам'ять or "Memory Eternal." At 9 a.m. every day, people in Ukraine are encouraged to pause and pay their tribute with a moment of silence for the soldiers who gave their lives during combat. Ukrainian combat medic Iryna Tsybukh sacrificed her life in May 2024. She was a driving force behind the memory project in Ukraine, encouraging people to pause and pay respect to fallen heroes. Her work was embraced by many community organizers and continues to be promoted across the world. As part of the Carleton Ukrainian Student Club, I’m also trying to incorporate this practice into the events our team hosts in Ottawa. A moment of silence is a reminder for all of us of the many brave Ukrainian sons and daughters who made the ultimate sacrifice.

There are other projects in Ukraine and worldwide created to promote the culture of remembrance for fallen defenders. When I returned to Ukraine in May 2024, I saw banners in downtown of my hometown featuring photos and brief biographies of soldiers. Citizens are encouraged to bring flowers, candles, and pay their tribute. There’s also a global run called “I Honour Warriors, I Run for the Heroes of Ukraine.” In 2024, I participated in this run with my friend to commemorate Sergiy Kyrylenko, a soldier I went to high school with. Sergiy died during an assault on enemy positions and was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine. I reached out to his family and girlfriend, who graciously granted permission for us to run in his honour and share his story with the world. When I posted about the run on social media, a friend from my previous work reached out, saying she and her friends across Canada would join the commemoration. Our heroes don’t die as long as we carry their memory forward, and the continuation of similar projects is only possible if people continue to participate in them.

The veterans we honour today may not always fit the image we expect. What about those who don’t resemble the fragile, medal-adorned World War II veterans we picture in our minds? What about the soldiers silently battling PTSD, struggling to reintegrate into civilian life? Or those who’ve lost limbs in combat and now face the challenge of finding work and supporting their families? These veterans, too, deserve our recognition and support.

Recently, someone reached out to me on Instagram with a request: they are raising funds to help their friend, a soldier who lost his leg during combat, get a special prosthetic—the cost is nearly $40,000 CAD. She opened a GoFundMe page and is trying to raise awareness in Canada, asking people to support her fundraiser. I felt her pain. Her best friend had sacrificed so much, and now he was in a position where, despite everything he had given, he had to beg for money just to continue living his life. In his post, he says: “With the help of the prosthetic, I will be able to return to a normal life without limitations and go back to serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.” Sometimes, I think we don’t deserve to live among people like them—those who are ready to give everything they have, and so much more. I don't believe we should normalize the idea that individuals are solely responsible for ensuring proper care is in place—the initial effort should naturally come from the government, with support from community members to build on it.

There are so many amazing organizations in Ukraine dedicated to supporting veterans and their families, and I encourage you to check them out, support their work financially, and share with the world the incredible work they are doing:

• Veteran Hub

• Superhumans Center

• Pryncyp UA

• Repower

• Veteran Fund UA

• Protez Hub

I don’t have all the answers, but we can start by doing something simple yet crucial: recognizing that military personnel hold a very special place in our society. We must seize every opportunity to show our gratitude and support, whether by backing their fundraisers or advocating for the care and treatment they deserve. And let’s not forget the families they leave behind. Supporting them is just as important as supporting the veterans themselves. And, of course, we must always honour the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.