TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla -- Team,
Sometimes you see an indicator of a veteran’s past service in a license plate or a beloved hat. That indicator of past service may say KOREAN WAR VETERAN or simply VIETNAM, sometimes the name of a ship or a military operation.
This week, I’d ask that you take a step back and read between those lines. While many of the ball caps look just alike, the memories held in the minds just underneath are as different as the wearers.
Some of the memories are painful, some are joyful, each one meaningful and contributing to our way of life. These men and women served proudly - patching up the wounded, securing financing, flying or fixing aircraft, or landing on foreign beaches. They stepped up to serve their nation from where they were needed most, and we are the beneficiaries.
On this Veterans Day, we honor all of those who have worn the uniform and served our great country. From the few World War II veterans still with us to those young veterans with a few years of service whose faces show experience and wisdom beyond their age, we owe them each our gratitude. Enlisted or officer, whether you see them at the grocery store or one of our nation’s memorials like the Military Women’s Memorial in Washington D.C., please consider the challenges and barriers they faced and yet they still served—and thank them.
So this Veterans Day, thank a veteran for raising their hand, read between the lines on their personal service and story, and thank them for keeping us free.
Lt Gen Tom Miller
Commander, Air Force Sustainment Center