Honor Veterans by Supporting Them

Veterans Day is November 11th. One day hardly seems adequate to acknowledge the contributions of these brave men and women who heroically defended this great country. Veterans Day is an annual federal holiday in the United States that is observed on November 11th to honor and express gratitude to all military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is a day to recognize and thank veterans for their selfless service, sacrifice and patriotism to the country.

Each year on November 11th, our nation comes together to celebrate the men and women who defend our freedoms. The 11th of November was originally known as Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I which occurred at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill into law that changed the name of the holiday from Armistice Day to Veterans Day, to honor all American veterans who have served their country in times of war or peace.

Veterans Day is a time to thank those who are serving or have served and are still with us. The day honors those who served and who had the good fortune of coming back home. November 11th is a national day to publicly recognize the sacrifices of our nation’s heroes.

America’s veterans embody the ideals upon which our nation was founded. As President Abraham Lincoln said, “Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.”

Veterans make up around 1 in 15 Americans overall. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 16.5 million veterans in the U.S. in 2021. We salute them for the sacrifices they have made for us whether it was at home or abroad. It is their service, commitment and dedication that gives people in America the freedom to speak our minds and express our values. It is their bravery, courage, resolve and willingness to sacrifice it all that makes our nation the land of opportunity and allows us the freedoms we enjoy.

Veterans are our fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, friends, and neighbors. These men and women who have bravely served in our armed forces served all Americans. Our American soldiers answer the call to duty because they know they are part of something larger than themselves.

History shows us that national security doesn’t just happen—it demands strength, courage and commitment as evidenced by the generations of men and women who have who have worn the American military uniform. These distinguished servicemen and women have sacrificed their bodies, minds, and spirits to secure the liberties we often take for granted.

Those sacrifices were many. According to the Department of Defense, more than 1.1 million Americans have died in U.S. conflicts since the Revolutionary War and more than 1.4 million have been wounded. That does not include those who returned to civilian life with invisible wounds including post-traumatic stress disorder.

Seeing veterans should prompt us all to examine how much more we could be doing for those who have protected us. Five little words mean a lot: Thank you for your service. But that’s not nearly enough. What else can you do? Consider donating to a veteran-focused charity. There are a multitude of wonderful nonprofit organizations that offer all manner of support, services, and appreciation to our U.S. veterans.

If you know a veteran, write a simple letter, postcard or email that recognizes them on Veterans Day. If you don’t know a veteran, look up the nearest military base and send one there.

Veterans Day is a day to honor those we should be honoring every day of the year. President John F. Kennedy said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” So let us honor our nation’s veterans each and every day by proactively helping them to be a vital part of the society they helped to preserve.

Not only on Veterans Day but year-round, we must salute all those who have nobly served. We must honor each one of them and recognize their commitment, courage, and selfless service. We must express eternal gratitude to them for defending our country, our families, and our freedom.

It is because of them that ours is a free and open society— a nation where more connects us than divides us. It is this democracy that our nation’s veterans served to protect. America must keep faith in its military veterans. We owe the greatest debt to those who risked their lives to keep us free. Americans have a moral responsibility to those who fought for the country. Serving our country was not easy.

After all this is America, where citizens are free, and all things are possible. We owe tremendous thanks to the men and women who served in our armed forces to defend these ideals. They willingly put their bodies and minds on the line as part of the military culture.

Our country’s veterans acted with uncommon courage and were ready to serve their country in time of need. The fact is, we owe them a debt we can never truly repay.

And because of this, we are honored to join scores of fellow Americans in honoring the men and women who valiantly answered the call to serve in our nation’s armed forces. To them we say, “Thank you for keeping our flag and the freedom it represents flying high.” Louis A. Quiñones, Jr., CJM, CCE President American Jail Association