“A veteran is someone who, at one point in their life wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America,” for an amount up to and including their life.”
Many citizens of the United States only take the time to remember our servicemen and women during special holidays- The Fourth of July, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day. Those three holidays are preserved for reflecting, giving thanks, and mourning the ultimate sacrifices that so many have made… but guess what?
Those sacrifices aren’t just on three holidays. Those sacrifices are worth giving thanks and honor to 365 days a year.
It’s no surprise to say that our veterans are constantly ignored and walked on by both, their fellow citizens and the Department of Veterans Affairs. From WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and others, our men and women have seen the unimaginable. The stories from the Vietnam War alone is enough to bring anyone to tears. Our veterans have seen and done so much, yet they are looked down upon so often as if their sacrifices have meant nothing. Forget basic recognition, our vets are often unable to get their proper medical coverage or an actual person to answer a hotline when they call. From being isolated after WWII to being called “baby killers” after Vietnam, our military veterans deserve so much more than this nation has given them. This article isn’t meant to call out the failures of a government bureaucracy but to highlight the very honest reality that these men and women endure.
I’ve held the honor of having veterans in my family and many active duty personnel as friends. To see so many of them in a different light- as defenders of our freedom- has been life changing.
On this Veterans Day and all days, I challenge you: Put away your flag photos and single social media posts if you only take the time to appreciate our men and women who have served a few times a year. Give thanks every single time you see a veteran and be willing to hear a story or two. Acknowledge the strength and courage it has taken him or her, to not only make it through their service but to pick up those pieces and transfer back into civilian life with their world forever changed.
To our Vietnam veterans- Welcome home.
To all our veterans- no amount of thanks will ever suffice but thank you.
We’re the “Land of the Free” because of your bravery.