Giving Thanks: The New Face of Veteran’s Day

We like to give thanks when it’s Friday. You might hear your co-workers chirp “TGIF!”, or see many shout-outs to Friday in your friends’ status messages on Facebook or Twitter. Some of you out there might have been especially perky today because you have Monday off for Veteran’s Day.

Before you start mentally reviewing your 3-day weekend (or what you would do if you had a 3-day weekend), let’s just take a moment to give thanks again. Not because it’s Friday, but because there are many, many veterans out there who need to be recognized for their service.

When you think of Veteran’s Day, you may picture a group of older gentlemen telling stories about their service in WWII, Korea, or Vietnam. They may appear at dedications in their honor, waving small US flags and wearing their medals. Certainly Veteran’s Day honors the brave men and women from these past wars, but what about recent history?

The wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan have yielded veterans of all ages and backgrounds. Veteran’s Day is no longer just about honoring your grandmother or grandfather. It’s also about the guy who lost his leg in Fallujah and now working at the 7-11, the young family down the street having financial problems since the wife was deployed to Iraq, a young man rying to sell some of his things before his deployment. They are people your age fighting for our country and then many times returning to work in our stores, fields, and schools. Sometimes, sadly, they don’t come back.

Rethinking the way we look at Veteran’s Day also means rethinking how we might observe it. If you know a veteran, call them and offer your heartfelt thanks. Listen to their stories if they want to tell them.

The future First Lady Michelle Obama has strongly hinted that her focus may be on military families.

Here are some websites you can go to for more information about getting veterans the help they need and deserve:

Welcome Back Veterans lists many ways you can help.

Hire a Hero: a resource where employers can find quality candidates who have military experience.

Volunteer for the USO

As we go about work and make plans, remember that our wars involve US Citizens who left civilian life for our sake.