COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Cadet Roland Nix was excited to receive a free meal at his local Chili's Grill & Bar today. The meal was provided as part of a Veterans Day promotion that provides free entrees to all veterans and uniformed service members each November 11th.

Nix, a 19 year-old sophomore at the United States Air Force Academy, attended the restaurant as an outing with a dozen or so of his fellow classmates.

"It's very kind of Chili's to provide a free meal to honor our sacrifices," said Nix, who is currently receiving a taxpayer-funded education valued at over $400,000 when calculating the costs of tuition, room and board, free meals, salary, flying classes, and various other expenses.

"Cadet life can be pretty challenging. You haven't experienced stress until you've been up until 1 a.m. cramming for an aerospace engineering midterm while knowing you have to muster at 0630," said Nix, who will graduate from college debt-free in three years to become either a pilot or to take a cushy desk job in an air-conditioned government building.