A flower grows through the ashphalt of the road leading to the alert stands at Loring Air Force Base in Maine. On the other side of the security fence at the end of this road, B-52 bombers, armed with thermonuclear weapons stood ready for the unthinkable. Today, the alert stands are empty and nature is slowly reclaiming what was always hers. This came about only because of the sacrifices made by the men and women who chose to wear the uniform of the free world's armed services. There is still conflict in the world today and perhaps there always will be, but we are no longer at the brink of armageddon. Today, rather than reacting to world events, our military is actively engaged in protecting our freedoms by protecting the freedoms of others. These men and women need our support. It is a miniscule price for us to pay for the freedoms we enjoy.