Veterans Day 2016
What is Veteran’s Day? November 11th marks the end of World War I and honors U.S. veterans and victims of all wars. This day doesn’t mean a big celebration of a time for veterans to take advantage of civilians or their generosity. This is a time for not only civilians to give thanks and appreciation to current and prior military service members, but it’s also a time for veterans to give thanks and appreciation as well. This is a time to look back and remember the sacrifices that not only service members have made but their families as well.
Military Families Support
A lot of people always seem to forget that the sacrifices a spouse or family member makes are the same. Veterans, their spouses, and their family members lose one of the only things in life you will never get back: time. You cannot get back a missed birthday, anniversary, or Christmas. As veterans, we need to be thankful and show appreciation today for our spouses and family members in addition to veterans and their family members and the sacrifices they have made as well.
Employers of Veterans
Employers, especially those of National Guard and Reserve employees, also make great sacrifices. The sacrifices employers make when a Guard or Reserve employee must deploy or go on military orders for annual training are tremendous. They are put under strain from your absence, and for some, replacing you during your time away is a financial loss as well. I would like to suggest to all veterans that read this to nominate your employers for an award on Veteran’s Day, and there are many. There are even awards for military spouses. I will not describe each one in depth. However, I will give a brief list:
Spouse-Nominated Awards
- Spouse Patriot Award
Employer Awards
- Patriot Award (for supervisors and employers)
- Seven Seals Award
- Above and Beyond Award
- Pro Patria Award
- Extraordinary Employers Support Award
- Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award
You will find these awards and how to nominate your employer on “esgr.mil.” I urge veterans to take the time to, if warranted, nominate your spouse and your supervisor for the dedication, appreciation, and support of your service. Then take a moment to thank the veterans you have deployed with, veterans you have been in combat with, and current military service members of the armed forces.
The Sacrifice of a Veteran
Words cannot describe the sacrifices you as veterans have made. The countless hours training for combat or just driving a truck on route to Tampa or Iraq; the hours of death by power point or language courses; to go overseas and put yourself in danger building a wall for FOB or a bathroom for soldiers to use; the medical personnel that save your life or the life of a colleague or just help you feel better when you get the overseas crud that everybody seems to get within the first few days of arriving overseas.
Remember, as a veteran you’re a part of the 1 percent that constantly defends freedom and makes sacrifices. There is no way to ever completely thank you or show you enough appreciation for what you do or what you will do in the future. What you do is a noble act of selfless service as you constantly put others before yourself. To all the veterans out there, I thank you and send my deepest gratitude from our company Low VA Rates to you, your family, and your employer for your service and your continued fight for our freedom. It will never go unnoticed or forgotten, especially not by any of us here. I am a veteran as well and I take pride in what my company does for each and every one of you. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in the small way that we do. We will always strive to exceed your expectations and share the same commitment as you do. You are brave and courageous, and for that, we say Happy Veteran’s Day.
- What’s Missing in Today’s Military: Integrity - March 20, 2018
- What’s Missing in Today’s Military: Honor - March 19, 2018
- Veterans without Care: What’s Wrong with the VA? - December 18, 2017
