Veteran's Day salutes service

  • Published
  • By Col. David Chandler
  • 570th Contingency Response Group Commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  This coming week, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, our nation will pause to honor all our veterans who have served. When World War I came to an end 92 years ago, Armistice Day was established to honor those who fought.

In 1954, this day was named Veteran's Day to honor all the Veterans of the United States.

Through the times of peace and war American men and women have answered the call to service in uniform. The history of the United States is filled with the many contributions of our veterans who sacrificed so much while in uniform and contributed to their communities, states and the country following their service. The legacy of the veterans who came before us is grand and sets a high mark for those in uniform and veterans of the 21st century.

We are the sons and daughters of veterans who came before us. Traditions of excellence and service were written by true sacrifice. The generations marked by World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and others serving our country today have earned our respect as truly great Americans.

By serving all over the globe during this current period of conflict, the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen of today are ensuring freedom throughout the world. Our veterans of every generation are heroes. Their leadership and dedication, both in and out of uniform, whether on duty or in service to the community, is inspirational and a critical part of making the nation strong. We must remember their contribution.

Today, our military members and their families benefit from the support and appreciation of a grateful nation and its people. It is common to have strangers approach you to say, "Thank you for your service."

All who have recently deployed have benefitted from the "Any Servicemember" package. I have seen the smile from a sergeant opening a box with a snack or message from the home of an unknown supporter. This support and respect is wonderful and its importance should not be taken for granted.

I challenge each of you to make this Veteran's Day special. Find a way to say "thank you" to the veterans and their families who built the most respected military of the world, as they defended our freedom and the United States. This is our time and opportunity to say thanks, to not only our veterans, but also the people who support the military every day.