4. Freedom is not free
To defend democracy through the method of freedom it is a difficult duty.
But it is a glorious duty as well.
A duty that is worth fulfilling with all our dedication.
Alcide De Gasperi
WHAT DOES BUILDING
AND ENSURING FREEDOM MEAN?
Every day, NATO men and women work and train together to keep our citizens safe while ensuring freedom and securing peace. Here are some of their stories.
“We do not have armed forces here in Iceland. I think it is important to be able to rely on NATO support since we are so far North and away from everything”.
Icelandic Coast Guard
“Being part of NATO means to be considered equal to the other Allies. It means to have freedom of choice. This is my dream, a dream of freedom”.
Permanent Representative of the Slovakian Republic to NATO
“My generation was born at the end of the Cold War. All seemed to go well but after the Twin Tower attack we realized that the world continued to be a dangerous place. Actually, it is more dangerous now than it used to be”.
Institutional Relations, NATO in Lithuania, chairman of YATA (Youth Atlantic Treaty Association)
“As the saying goes: an army marches on its stomach. Whatever may happen, if the quality of the food is poor, the troops will be in a bad mood.”
baker onboard German ship FGS Hamburg
“The values of Sikhism are the same as those of the British Army: honesty, respect, bravery and integrity”
British Army telecommunications engineer
“Whenever we find people who are having a hard time, we report them in hope that it is not too late to help them. Working with this drone makes me very proud”.
Spanish Army Rescue Unit
“You are about to jump, you feel the wind in your face and think: is my parachute in good working order? That’s when you realize how important the job of the parachute folder is”.
former Italian Air Force, trainer at the European Parachutists Association
“I have chosen to train as a nurse to help people in need”.
Portuguese Air Force flight nurse
“Being part of NATO I have realized that we are part of a family and can trust one another”.
Rumanian Air Force Logistic Control Centre
“We destroy unexploded ordnance which sea currents might push ashore and become a major danger for children on the beach and for fishermen out at sea”.
Latvian Navy
“We can't stop nature, we can't really say 'wind, stop', and we have to be able to work with that.”.
1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group
“a woman can use her intuition in various situations, which cannot be solved through physical strength”.
Close Protection Agent, Lithuanian government
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