Saying thanks on Veterans Day

To the Editor: On Veterans Day, Americans should pause and reflect on the sacrifices made by our veterans. All who served need to be given proper praise for a job well done. Our veterans have faced hardships, and some have faced death in defending our nation’s freedom. They possess the core American values of loyalty, duty, respect, honor, selfless service, personal courage and integrity. In today’s world, our nation does not need to be in a declared war for our military to be serving at great risk or hardship. Today in Afghanistan and Iraq, our soldiers are in harm’s way 24 hours a day. Also now more than ever before, the Reserves and National Guard are being deployed. These citizen soldiers also need all the support our communities can provide; not only to the soldier, but to their family members at home as well. Veterans Day is the time we recall the courageous legacy of soldiers who fought in our nation’s wars, from the War of Independence to Operation Iraqi Freedom. We remember that they are the American heroes who answered the nation’s call, doing the hard work of preserving the peace and freedom all Americans enjoy, and bringing hope and justice to people. We all lead busy lives, and so it is natural to overlook the meaning of the service of our veterans. They’ve done their job so well that our nation feels safe and secure from a very dangerous world. Take the time to thank a veteran, not just on Veterans Day, but any day that you get the chance to meet a veteran. Whatever achievements our nation has attained, we owe to the men and women who have stood guard at the front lines. God bless our veterans and God bless America. State Senator William Larkin (R-C Cornwall-on-Hudson)