The Vandenberg Coalition wishes a meaningful Veterans Day to all those brave Americans who have given so much to our nation. Over the years, it has been my honor to meet and befriend hundreds of those who have answered the call to service, from serving alongside them in government to working alongside them at The Vandenberg Coalition. It is thanks to their sacrifices and those of their loved ones that the United States remains the greatest country in the world.
I remember during the War on Terror, the phrase “thank you for your service” became popularized. It came from a beautiful place—particularly given the importance of not conflating the waning popularity of the ongoing war with a lack of gratitude for those serving in it —but both for me saying it and my friends receiving it, it felt…off. Too simple. Too easy. Perhaps even a little dismissive.
After all, how does one really thank veterans for their willingness to risk everything for people they have never met? There are no words to adequately repay those who carry the physical, emotional, or moral scars of service, or those who gave up their youth or the formative years of their child’s life to keep us safe. From them we have received the most coveted of all gifts: Freedom. Liberty. In many cases, life itself. Measured against that debt, “Thank you”—a phrase used for tasks as mundane as answering emails, or holding an elevator—seems insufficient.
So, like every year, I asked my friends what they as veterans wished people understood on Veterans Day. This year, my friend Oscar shared a message that resonated deeply with me: “The commitment to America’s promise, the core values we should cherish as American citizens, isn’t maintained by any one institution alone,” he said. “It’s sustained by citizens who choose integrity, service, and respect in their everyday lives. You don’t have to wear a uniform to strengthen your community or your country.”
Oscar is exactly right. But it is not only that it is possible for citizens to better their country in the way servicemembers do, it is incumbent on us. There may indeed be no words to adequately repay that debt, but there are actions. In their sacrifices, veterans have preserved America as a beacon of liberty for us and the rest of the world for the last 250 years – we must join them in preserving it, and live out our gratitude through nothing less than committing ourselves to the very same values that they exemplify as veterans: Integrity. Justice. Service. Courage. Our Founding Fathers recognized adherence to these values as the roots of our nation. “Virtue,” said John Adams, “is the only permanent foundation of all greatness and happiness.” Thomas Jefferson went a step further, arguing that “It is the manners and spirit of a people which preserve a republic in vigor.”
When we say “thank you for your service,” we must also voice it as a commitment to make ourselves worthy beneficiaries of their sacrifice by joining them in preserving our republic—through building character, practicing virtue, and never forgetting that our country is strongest when we are there for each other.
A special thank you to Vandenberg Coalition Advisory Board Members who have served in uniform, including Joseph Bosco, Bradley Bowman, Doug Fears, Christopher Ford, Rich Goldberg, Emilio Gonzalez, John Hillen, Kim Kagan, Mark Montgomery, Mick Mulroy, Richard Outzen, Matt Pottinger, Joel Rayburn, Laura Richardson, Vance Serchuk, Thomas Spoehr, David Stilwell, John “Ty” Thomas, Jay Truesdale, Robert Wilkie, and Matthew Zais. We will never be able to either express nor repay the debt we owe to you and your families. We will, however, continue to dedicate ourselves to bettering ourselves and our nation in your honor.
