Veteran’s Day is the one time of year where Americans, as a whole, can honor and thank any military personnel who have served for our country.

While most of us find our own ways to pay our respects to these dedicated and upstanding few, Veteran’s Day is a reminder to take the time and send personal and heartfelt messages to veterans that you know.

These veterans have experienced things in war that are unfathomable to us. Hearing gun fire, sleeping in unpredictable conditions and fighting for your life on a daily basis are just a few, on the surface experiences that these brave men have gone through.

It is necessary for you to thank these men. Especially this year.

2014 marks the forty year anniversary of the Vietnam War. This war is seldom talked about; it’s a painful and devastating loss Americans have tried to forget. Hundreds of thousands lives were lost and a fighting country fell to communism.

This wound is still fresh to a few in the states today; however, instead of burying the pain and loss of this war, a group of veterans have chosen to acknowledge it.

An adaption from a New York Times documentary titled “In Country,” features veterans who fought in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan collaborating to recreate what it was like for American soldiers in the Vietnam War.

According to the New York Times, the veterans engage in a war re-enactment by hiking through the woods, sleeping in the dirt and carrying Vietnam-era weapons. The re-enactment was similar to therapy for a few.

In the documentary, veterans stated that they chose to participate in the recreation to experience that sense of comradeship again, relive unforgettable moments or have a chance to “serve” in the military once more.

Whatever the cause, the veterans who came together to produce a riveting and raw re-enactment allows Americans to somewhat better understand the complex and difficult experience veterans have had since returning home from war.

To all the veterans, we thank you.