My grandfather, my father, my father-in-law, and my husband all served our country.  I am proud of these four family members for their contributions to our country.  They each had different experiences and different wars, though they all were in the Army.

My granddad, who I have mentioned before in this post, fought so bravely in WWI that he earned a Silver Star Citation.  My dad served in both the Army and the Air Force.  He landed in Korea right as the fighting stopped.  My father-in-law was such a good marksman that he stayed stateside during the Korean War and taught other soldiers how to shoot.  And my husband, an Army Major, is a Bronze Star recipient for his service in the Gulf War.

No matter the branch of service, wartime or not, these men and women are each owed a huge debt of gratitude for putting themselves in harm’s way to keep their family members and our family members safe from our country’s enemies.

It is so easy to go about our lives each day and forget those to whom we owe so much.  It may only be one day of the year, but surely we can all join in honoring our national heroes for 24 hours.

Ideas for honoring our Veterans:

1.  If you see a veteran or current service member (ballcaps, vests, and uniforms are a good way to know who they are) while at a restaurant, buy them a meal.
2. If you look at IDs (such as a Notary Public who reviews Driver’s Licenses) and see one marked as a Veteran, say “Thank you for your service.”
3. Celebrate all the Military days of honor such as Veterans Day (marking those who served our country) and Memorial Day (Honoring military men and women who died in service).
4. Fly your American flag!
5. Honor your country.  We may not agree on politics, but we should all agree that we love our Country.  By respecting our Country, we are also showing respect to those who fight for its preservation.
6. Donate your time, money, or talents for causes that support Veterans and their families.
7. Work in your community to organize a Veterans Day celebration such as a parade or ceremony to honor Veterans in the community.
8. Visit a Veterans Memorial (we have a lovely one on the square in downtown Sulphur Springs) and take time to reflect on the sacrifices of those who have served.
9. Teach your children about the roles Veterans have played in shaping our country and to respect Veterans and the monuments that honor them.
10. If you have a close friend or family member that served in the military, ask them about their service.  Listen and learn from the stories they tell you.
11. If you own a business, you may want to consider offering a discount to Veterans and active service members.
12. Keep Veterans and current military personnel in your daily prayers.

This is certainly not an inclusive list of ways to honor Veterans.  If you have other ideas, please share them so that we can all benefit.

If you are someone in your family has served in the armed forces, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.  Not only do the Veterans sacrifice so much with their service, but their families do as well.