This year marked the 60th anniversary of North Korea's invasion of the Republic of Korea on June 25, 1950. Twenty-one member countries of the United Nations joined with the Republic of Korea to stop the invasion. One of these military personnel was my father, a young man of twenty-one. At the time, the Republic Korea was one of the most impoverished countries with an annual per capita income of less $40. Over a million people were homeless, living in whatever they could find for shelter; people were hungry. How does a daughter who believes that if war is the answer then the right question has not been asked, tell her father thank you for his military service?

This summer I joined my dad and other Korean War veterans for a seven-day tour of remembrance in the Republic of Korea. At the entrance of the War Memorial in Seoul was the following inscription: "Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met." This is the same inscription at the Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C. Each of the member United Nation countries has a section of the wall that lists the names of those they have lost; there was a moment of silence.

One of the hardest things for me to see and hear was briefing prior to visiting the Demilitarization Zone near the 38th parallel. The Demilitarization Zone was established on July 27, 1953 in accordance with "The Armistice Agreement"; it is 155 miles (248 km) long. The military personnel informed that group of finding of a dead North Korean soldier. The Republic of Korea informed North Korea of their finding. To ease tension it was agreed by both sides that an independent country would perform the medical examination for the determination of cause of death. The determination was malnutrition. In the last sixty years the North Korean average height of males is five feet five inches, average weight 155 pounds, but the most amazing fact is that the size of average male cranial capacity of the North Korean has decreased in size. All of these things are due to lack of access to proper food. We arrive at Panmunjeom, the place where "The Armistice Agreement" was signed; the place where the county of Korea was divided and where the war broke out. What one must remember is "The Armistice Agreement" is a truce and not an end of war or a peace treaty. In reality this war is still ongoing. Panmunjeom is 30 miles (50km) from Seoul.

Touring the Korea Folk Village and seeing traditional houses from different parts of the country helped in demonstrating the rich cultural history of Korea. While we were listening to our tour guide numerous elementary school age children would interrupt by saying thank-you and asked to shake the veterans hands. The guide explained that this was the second generation that has benefited from what the Korean War veterans accomplished. What are some of the benefits? At the time of the Korean War the Republic of Korea was one of the most impoverished countries. In 2009 Republic of Korea became a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Development Assistance Committee, the first aid recipient to become a donor in only one generation. In the official "Welcome to Korea: Korean War and 60-years Later" ends with the following quote: "Republic of Korea is forever indebted to you for your service and sacrifice. We will continuously build trust and friendship among 21 United Nation Allied Nations."

On this Veteran Day's this daughter has a better understanding of what all veterans are asked to do. That is to travel to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met. I would suggest if you see or know a veteran on this Veterans Day ask them what it was like and thank them for their services.

--Cindy King