A Salute to Service: Defending Freedom Beyond the Battlefield

Joshua Lyons is a U.S. Army veteran who served multiple deployments to the Middle East and Afghanistan, including with Abe Hamadeh in the same Battalion. He comes from a proud military family with three younger brothers who are also Army veterans. A former intelligence analyst with the State Department and Department of Homeland Security, Joshua holds a master’s degree from Abilene Christian University and a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University. Deeply committed to the pro-life movement, he actively works with the Dandy Project, supporting individuals and families dedicated to preserving life.

This Veterans Day, we pause to honor the men and women who have worn the uniform, sacrificing far beyond the battlefield. Their commitment extends deeper than time served—they have given up irreplaceable years, moments that could have been spent building families, pursuing dreams, or creating futures. They forfeited not just time but the freedom to shape their own lives, all to safeguard a vision of a safe, prosperous America.

The true cost of service is rarely acknowledged in full. For veterans, it’s not only the years overseas, the rigorous training, or time spent apart from loved ones; it’s the surrender of one’s youth—the chance to build careers, businesses, memories, and legacies. These men and women dedicate the best years of their lives, often returning to a world that has moved forward without them, carrying scars that endure long after their military contracts conclude.

As a fellow veteran, I understand this difficult path. I’ve walked it myself, and I know the challenges that come with setting aside personal ambitions to serve something greater than oneself. I know the toll it takes on dreams, on family, and on the small but important moments of life. That’s why Abe Hamadeh’s sacrifice resonates deeply with me. Contrary to the distasteful comments from Blake Masters—whom Hamadeh handily defeated in the Republican primary for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District—suggesting that a candidate should have ‘skin in the game’ by having a wife and children, Abe’s commitment transcends traditional markers of success. He gave up years he could have spent nurturing a family or building wealth, choosing instead the path of a soldier, a defender, a guardian of freedom. Now, as he steps into public service, he brings that same spirit and devotion to his role in Congress, fighting not only for veterans but for the families and communities that make America great.

Abe understands that family is the foundation upon which American freedoms are built. His sacrifices were made to protect those institutions from ideologies that threaten to dismantle them. His unwavering dedication to this country and its values serves as a beacon, showing us all that freedom is worth every sacrifice.

And many veterans continue their service beyond the battlefield. Maureen Bannon, for example, once aspiring to a career in nursing, now finds herself on the front lines defending American values against threats here at home. Her father, Navy veteran Steve Bannon, sacrificed similarly, enduring imprisonment as a stark reminder that the fight for liberty remains as fierce on our soil as it is abroad. The Bannon family’s commitment to liberty exemplifies the readiness to bear any burden for the cause of freedom.

As the Declaration of Independence asserts, "We pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” Abe, Maureen, and Steve have honored that pledge, sacrificing immensely to protect the values we hold dear. This Veterans Day, we owe our veterans more than our gratitude; we owe them our respect, our support, and the recognition that their sacrifices continue. Their battle will only truly conclude when threats to freedom are vanquished, and the next generation of veterans can build families, pursue dreams, and secure a future in the nation they so bravely defend.