In honor of our nation’s veterans, with deep gratitude & respect for those who have served

On Veteran’s day, it is traditional to express our gratitude and respect for those who have served our nation in the military—and those who served with them, such as medics and nurses who often also put themselves at risk during times of war.

This particular Veterans Day, a variety of vets have expressed concern that, in the near future, they may need our support in other arenas.

For example, today, NPR’s Fresh Air featured military veteran and prize winning non-fiction writer and novelist, Phil Clay, who expressed the concern that is emerging in the veteran communities about what the active military, and veterans both, can expect from the incoming Trump administration.

Clay talked about the newly elected president-to-be and his previous use of the American military to push his “partisan agenda.”

“There’s still a lot we don’t know about Trump’s plans,” said NPR ‘s  Tonya Mosley as the conversation continued.. “But throughout the campaign, he has given us a vision that could dramatically shift the role of our military in society. He’s pledged to recall thousands of American troops from overseas and station them at the U.S. border with Mexico. He’s also spoken about using troops to round up and deport undocumented immigrants and weeding out military officers who are ideologically opposed to him,” she said.

When he responded, Clay’s tone was grim.

“There’s a variety of things that he can do and a variety of ways in which he clearly has, in the past, shown a willingness to try and push the military to help him push a more partisan agenda, right? And that’s bad.”

Clay, who won the National Book Award in 2014, for his gorgeously written book of short stories, Deployment, had much more to say about the world of combat veterans, most of which had zero to do with politics. If the topic interests you, listening to what he has to say (or reading the transcript) is worth your time.

Alive Day

Other military vets, including some who now serve in public life, such as Senator Tammy Duckworth, have been blisteringly critical of Trump’s attitude toward veterans. Yet, today, Duckworth appeared to be simply celebrating with friends and family.

In August of this year, Duckworth, who lost both her legs fighting in the Iraq War, called the then-Republican nominee, “despicable” for comments he made about soldiers honored for their actions in combat.

“Certainly those remarks are consistent with where he’s always been,” the Illinois Democrat told ABC in August. “He thinks that we’re suckers and losers.”

Today, however, Duckworth focused only on celebrating her fellow veterans as she accompanied local officials and veteran leaders as they paid homage to those who served.

“Veterans Day is a day of celebration,” she told the crowd. “This is not a day to mourn. This is a day to celebrate.”

It turns out that this particular Veterans’ Day is special one for Duckworth. Tuesday, November 11, 2024, marks 20 years since the helicopter that she was piloting was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade in Iraq, causing her to lose both legs.

Duckworth calls Veteran’s Day her “Alive Day,” she said

“I’m only alive today because my buddies who thought I was dead” but “refused to leave my body behind,” she told those gathered at a Veterans’ Day event. “They went back and carried me to safety, thinking that they were returning a body for my mom to bury,” she said. “Today, I’m thinking of their heroism that gave me the opportunity to not only live but live a life that was so much fuller than I could ever have imagined.”

So, thank you to all our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, uncles and aunts, daughters and sons, friends and neighbors, who have served.

We can never adequately repay you. But, in the coming days and years, we’ll do our best to have your back.