Saluting America’s Veterans (And Those Who Continue To Serve)

On this Veterans’ Day 2022, a few thoughts to share.  Our nation’s military veterans, along with those who serve currently, are, without question, the absolute pride of America. They are the ever-dedicated, brightly-shining examples of genuine patriotism.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are now about 19-million U.S. military veterans living here among us. That’s less than 10% of the current total U.S. adult population. Which makes America’s veterans not only special, but extremely so, based on that percentage alone. And that’s in addition to the very positive difference our veterans make, every-day, enriching our employers, our organizations, our communities, our neighborhoods, and our individual lives.

And this reminder. For the last 49-years, all who serve, or have served in the United States military, do so voluntarily.  They choose to serve and sacrifice for our nation.  And that sacrifice may even include required absences from home and family for extended periods of time, either for training and/or, ultimately, for deployment to peacekeeping missions or combat. They volunteer to spend a portion of their life, to the point of possibly sacrificing it, so that they might assist the cause of maintaining America’s security, our sovereignty, and for the steadfast defense of our precious, irreplaceable freedoms.

We hear much discussion today about natural resources.  Turns out that those who have served our nation in the past, our esteemed veterans, are all, very clearly, America’s greatest, not natural, but national resource !

We thank those who currently serve, but, today especially, we pause to thank those who have served our nation in uniform in the past, within all five traditional branches, whether Active-Duty, Guard, or Reserve.  We are so very proud of our nation’s veterans.  We cherish them, both for their contributions while in uniform, and now for their distinctive, welcome, and continuing contributions to civilian life here in America.

Duty…Honor…Country.  Deeply ingrained commitments, carried over now to life beyond the uniform. And while we can’t thank our veterans enough, America extends its most sincere thanks, as well, to our past and present military families. Those who’ve provided such valuable and continuing close support for their service member, whether at home or, especially, while away, whenever and wherever duty has called.  And because of that, our devoted military families have been, and will always be, the ultimate military force-multiplier for our great nation.

Whether serving now, or having done so in the past, any day, not just Veterans’ Day or Armed Forces Day, but ANY day, is the right time to thank those who have served, or currently do, for their commitment to what is right, to what is honorable, and to what is needed for the defense of our free nation.  In sum, for their dedicated, deep devotion, to maintaining the very best of traditional America, including and critically so, our historic and fundamental liberty, both for our nation as a whole, or as might perhaps be required, for that of our allies, and, ultimately, importantly, for that of America’s individual citizens.

So then, sincerest thanks to, and appreciation for, our proud service members and veterans (active / guard / reserve) who live in our midst and contribute so very much to our workplaces and to our communities.  You are distinct among America’s most respected, cherished, and valued treasures.  Our deepest thanks to all of you who’ve served, or currently do, for all that you’ve done for, and continue to mean to, our America.