Take a ride through any of areas in and around Carbon and Schuylkill counties and you’ll see them.

Etched in stone and embossed in granite are the names.

And beneath a garrison cap or a baseball hat with a visor full of scrambled eggs are the faces.

All are constant reminders of a pattern of service and loss that shaped area families and communities for generations.

These men and women answered the call in the Mexican and Civil wars, as well as through two world wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflicts. Their stories are ones of past sacrifice that preserve our present freedom.

And their stories aren’t just from some faraway place; they have deep roots in the decades of commitment afterward.

Teachers, businessmen, mentors and parents, they helped improve communities, quietly moving them forward. Almost invisible, their work is as much a part of their legacy as are their medals and memorials.

Celebrating that work recognizes all aspects of their service — conscription, enlistment and deployment — then returning home to serve as community leaders.

Though it’s a little different from Memorial Day, we should also take some time this Veterans Day to honor the memories of those who didn’t return. The loss of a loved one who served in the military isn’t just a family’s private grief, it’s a debt for an entire community.

And when any community names a square or a building or raises a plaque, it does more than commemorate a fallen soldier. Instead it honors the cost of freedom. All over the area, monuments and displays often maintained by living veterans memorialize their fallen comrades.

Look around where you live. You might see Hometown Heroes banners hanging from streetlight poles, or maybe a POW/MIA flag on someone’s porch. Veterans are everywhere, woven into the fabric of our towns.

Some faced battle while others served in support capacities. Some who came home carried invisible wounds like the scars of loss or the memories of an intense battle.

Many of them rebuilt their lives as firefighters, mentors and leaders. They’re the ones who maintain the local VFW or American Legion posts. They’re a living example of something that’s often faded from everyday life — that duty and sacrifice are the basis of our democracy.

Often, veterans served not to be recognized or rewarded. Many believe in something greater than themselves.

Those who gave their lives in service deserve to be honored — not just for one day in November, by the way others live in the freedom they secured. Supporting our communities and defending our freedoms keep their memories alive.

For those families who may have experienced a loss, Veterans Day is, perhaps, a bittersweet time. Their feelings of loss and emptiness clash with the pride of knowing their loved ones served a greater good.

As Americans, we should share in that loss and make sure that sacrifice is not forgotten. Maybe in our schools we might enhance lessons about important dates and battles with the stories of how local men and women may have been involved.

Students should be made aware of the names of the young soldiers who never saw their hometowns again, as well as the veterans who did return to build better futures for themselves and the next generation.

We should also commit to their well-being. Too many veterans live with the challenges of post-traumatic stress, homelessness or health issues related to their service. We can say thanks by supporting policies and groups that ensure veterans have access to health care, education and job opportunities.

Each Veterans Day isn’t about war. It’s about peace and commitment and understanding how our country is strong because of the courage and resolve of those who served.

We’ve heard a lot lately about how our democracy is being threatened, and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Instead, it is alive and well, thanks to the men and women who resolved to keep it that way.

So especially on this day, share their stories, help their families and never forget that we’re a free nation because they served.

And for that, we owe them everything.

ED SOCHA | tneditor@tnonline.com