5 Ways to Honor a Veteran This Veterans Day

On January 20, 1981, the newly elected President Ronald Reagan faced the nation from the West Front of the Capitol, memorializing the forgotten life of an unsung American hero — “Martin Treptow, who left his job in a small town barbershop in 1917 to go to France with the famed Rainbow Division. There, on the western front, he was killed trying to carry a message between battalions under heavy artillery fire.”

“We’re told that on his body was found a diary,” Reagan continued. “On the flyleaf under the heading, ‘My Pledge,’ he had written these words: ‘America must win this war. Therefore, I will work, I will save, I will sacrifice, I will endure, I will fight cheerfully and do my utmost as if the issue of the whole struggle depended on me alone.’”

For generations, grateful Americans have searched in vain for the words to express their gratitude to the heroes who have served in our military. While men like Reagan have perhaps come close, we know we can never truly thank them enough.

How, then, should we pay them back for their invaluable service? Convention of States has compiled five easy first steps.

1. Raise a flag

“A flag appears 'mid thunderous cheers / The banner of the Western land / The emblem of the brave and true.” - John Philip Sousa

The men and women who served in our military risked their lives to protect this country and the values represented by its flag. Many made the ultimate sacrifice. Proudly display a flag from your front porch, truck, or baseball cap to remind them that we have not forgotten their service or the banner for which they fought.

2. Attend a local Veterans Day Parade

“Under no other flag are those who have served their country held in such high appreciation.… This is an indication of praise and reward which our country bestows upon its veterans. Our admiration is boundless.” - President Calvin Coolidge

Good old-fashioned hometown Veterans Day parades are a great way to express our appreciation to our veterans. As President Coolidge said, Americans have always admired our national heroes and defenders. By turning out in droves to applaud and salute them, we can begin to repay the enormous debt we owe them.

3. Shake a veteran’s hand

“Never was so much owed by so many to so few.” - Winston Churchill

Sometimes, the simple things can matter the most. Don’t let the overwhelming weight of a veteran’s sacrifice prevent you from shaking his hand and thanking him for his service. It may not sound like much, but it will mean the world to him.

4. Listen to a Veterans Day speech

“When our military forces have taken the field, it has been to enlarge the area of self-government, to extend the scope of freedom, and to defend the principles of liberty.... The place which these heroic figures hold in history is forevermore secure.” - President Coolidge

Many of our best orators have immortalized the dauntless American fighting force through their rich, sweeping language. Although they have always fallen short of capturing the extent of the grandeur of their sacrifices, their words, nevertheless, keep the memory of these brave heroes ringing in our ears and hearts. Calvin Coolidge’s Armistice Day Address (1926) and Address on Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery (1927) are great places to begin!

5. Fight

“Veterans know better than anyone else the price of freedom, for they’ve suffered the scars of war. We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have won for us.” - Ronald Reagan

It’s not enough just to say thank you. It’s not enough just to listen to the speeches. If we truly value the blessings of liberty and the price it cost to obtain them, we must take up the mantle and continue our veterans' fight for freedom. As President John F. Kennedy reminded us, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”

Sign the Convention of States petition below to preserve the liberty our veterans have secured for us!