Happy Veterans Day to all my fellow veterans!

“The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.” -Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States

Many have gone before us, and many more will follow. We are military veterans. We served our country during wartime and during peacetime.

Some died doing their duty to protect and defend this country. Some suffered physical injuries, and others suffered mental injuries.

When we see the flag of the United States of America coming down the road during the parade, we salute it as it comes by. Maybe our salutes are not as sharp as they used to be, but the love of our country is as sharp as ever.

Many of us have seen the flag being raised in locations around the world as a sign of victory, a victory that was bought with our blood. When we visited a foreign country during our service, we were happy to come home to the flag of the United States of America.

Some of us did not become veterans because we were drafted to serve during a war. Many of us became veterans because we volunteered to serve our country.

We all joined the military by signing our names on the dotted line knowing in our minds that we could be sent anywhere in the world. We signed our names knowing that we could be killed or injured protecting our country. Many of us signed up to serve our country knowing that many of our friends and family thought less of us for joining.

We all knew that the United States military would change us, be it for the better or for the worse.

We signed our names on the line so that you might have your freedom and your liberty.

We’ve seen our flag draped over a coffin of a friend, and with tears in our eyes, we saluted. We’ve watched a young wife receive the flag that was draped over her husband’s casket while her two young children cling to her. We’ve heard Taps played too many times while we’ve watched parents of a brave young military person bury their young son or daughter.

We’ve flinched as the volleys are fired into the sky at our fellow veteran’s funeral.

We’ve trembled with anger when we’ve seen someone burn our flag in protest, drag it on the ground, spit or defecate on it. But, we’ve proudly smiled when we’ve see young children face the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance with their hands over their hearts.

We’ve been to the graves of the true heroes buried at Arlington, and we’ve touched the names of the heroes carved in granite on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

We stand in awe of those who have gone before us. We will always salute you.

We’ve cheered when disabled veterans get their benefits from our government, and we’ve cursed when they could not. We’ve shaken our heads in disbelief when qualified veterans did not get a federal job.

We hold a place in our hearts for the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

This Veterans Day, take a moment to thank a veteran for his/her service. Thank the veteran for your freedoms and liberties. Thank the veteran for keeping you safe.

It will make you and the veteran feel better.