Americans across the nation will join together to thank the brave men and women of our past and present United States Armed Forces this Veterans Day. We are fortunate to enjoy the freedoms our armed forces have fought for generations to defend, and we must challenge ourselves to go beyond a simple “thank you” once a year and honor them each and every day for their service.
There are millions Americans who have protected our freedom and preserved the principles upon which our country was built. Let’s take a moment to remember their memory and thank them for their sacrifices.
In addition, there are more than 20 million veterans alive today who deserve not just our gratitude, but also our help assisting in their personal and professional development as civilians. Often times following deployment, obstacles including mental health issues, employment and educational challenges, and even homelessness stand in between veterans and assimilation back into society.
Therefore, if we want to truly honor these heroes, we must invest in veteran programs that will ensure these servicemen and servicewomen are on the path toward healthy and successful civilian lives.
Some of these services include:
- Starting and managing a small business;
- Advancing their education;
- Pursuing employment; and
- Addressing mental health issues.
Following news from earlier this year that veterans died waiting for health services at VA hospitals, our leaders in Washington, D.C. have a renewed sense of duty to protect veterans’ access to affordable and timely healthcare. More than ever, we must ensure going forward that our servicemen and servicewomen get the medical care they need and deserve.
On Tuesday, take the time to stop and recognize the heroic and selfless actions of U.S. veterans in your community. It can be simple acts of kindness like donating your frequent flier miles or volunteering with/donating to a veterans program. Veterans sacrifice so much so that we don’t have to—let’s do all we can to remember and honor that heroism.
