Credit: Quotefancy.
Soon the nation will celebrate Veterans Day, a time created to honor all veterans, both living and passed.
It takes resolve and courage to step up, raise the right hand and swear an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. It is a commitment that gives rise to the title of Veteran.
In these quotes about veterans, we do not see in them more than we did before; rather, we see more of ourselves as Americans than there was before.
Quotes About Veterans
“In the aftermath, we are because they were.” – RJ Heller
“To be a veteran, one must know and determine one’s price for freedom.” – Unknown
“The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.” – Jeff Miller
“Perfect valor is to behave, without witnesses, as one would act were all the world watching.” – Francois de la Rochefoucauld
“This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.” – Elmer Davis
“You’d have to go a long way to find someone who was more proud and grateful for what our veterans have done for all of us.” – Jim Davis
“The nicest veterans … the kindest and funniest ones, the ones who hated war the most, were the ones who’d really fight.” – Kurt Vonnegut
“Honoring the sacrifices many have made for our country in the name of freedom and democracy is the very foundation of Veterans Day.” – Charles B. Rangel
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” – Khalil Gibran
“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive that Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” – George Washington
“How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes.” – Maya Angelou
“To the Veterans of the United States of America – Thank you for the cost you paid for our freedom, thank you for the freedom to live in safety and pursue happiness, for freedom of speech … and for all the freedoms that we daily take for granted.” – Sara Niles
“When the peace treaty is signed, the war isn’t over for the veterans or the family. It’s just starting.” – Karl Marlantes
“In valor there is hope.” – Publius Cornelius Tacitus
“The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” – Abraham Lincoln
“America’s Veterans have served their country with the belief that democracy and freedom are ideals to be upheld around the world.” – John Doolittle
“The best thing you have to give is yourself.” – Norman Vincent Peale
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” – John F. Kennedy
“And thank God for the veterans who still stand at our side.” – Greta Swaan
A former Special Forces soldiers pauses at The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall during a Veterans Day observance. Credit: John Simpson.
6 Ways to Celebrate Veterans Day
If reading those quotes about veterans puts you in the patriotic mood, here are 6 great ways to celebrate Veterans Day:
- Teach Your Children About Veterans Day
Ensuring that your children know about and remember the sacrifices that servicemen and servicewomen have made for this country is an excellent way to honor veterans. Here’s a list of Veterans Day videos for kids.
- Visit Veterans
Make cards or thank you notes and deliver them to a VA hospital or nursing home. Sit and talk with veterans; thank them for what they did for you; listen to their stories.
- Fly the Flag
The flag should be displayed at half-mast on Veterans Day, and it presents an opportunity to teach your children about the etiquette and honor due to the colors.
- Watch a Parade or Attend a Ceremony
If your city hold a Veterans Day parade, then go and honor the veterans who served or are serving. On the other hand, if there is a ceremony which honors veterans, take the time to go and listen and learn about veterans and what they have done.
- Serve a Veteran
They served us; why should we not serve them? Rake a lawn, visit a Soldiers’ Home, deliver a meal or dessert. Take the time to give thank a veteran through your actions.
- Participate in the National Two-Minutes of Silence
All of us are invited to participate in the observance of a two-minute national moment of silence based on our local time zones as a way to remember the purpose of Veterans Day.
Thank You for Your Service
Of all the quotes about veterans, here’s one you can say: “Thank you for your service.” These five words make the point as to why we should revisit the thoughts of others as we remember and honor all of our Veterans on November 11th.
