“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

To all members of our armed services, past or present:

Thank you for your sacrifice.

On this Veterans’ Day, the day after the 234th birthday of the United States Marine Corps, we honor those who have willingly given their time, personal lives, and even their last breaths in service to our country. Americans have a long and proud history of standing up and fighting for what’s right regardless the cost, a tradition older than our nation itself.

Our soldiers in the Revolutionary War pressed on with no incentive other than freedom. Soldiers in the Continental army were paid with worthless Continental dollars, often received just flour and water for meals, frequently slept on a blanket under the open sky in the rain, and many not only had no shoes but often had no socks, leaving a bloody trail behind as the icy winter ground cut open their feet.

When I visited the American cemetery at Coleville, France, my heart was stopped. On a bright, sunny day, the cemetery overlooked a jeweled grey-blue sea. A gentle breeze lifted the American flags, and there was peace. There was silence. The guns which roared over the beaches were long gone, the miles of terrible barbed wire and engineering impediments since removed. As I knelt by the white crosses, the knowledge that these men and women did not return to their mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, and children rushed over me. Tears filled my eyes as images of conflicts past mixed with those of my family and my friends currently in the service.

Today, we continue to battle against those who seek not only to disrupt our American way of life but radically change it altogether. We carry on as we have for hundreds of years that we may leave this world a little better for our children.

These men and women didn’t sign up with dreams of winning medals or awards. They did so in pursuit of the betterment of themselves and their country. And in this duty, 1.3 million Americans have given their lives for what they believe. We cannot thank these great men and women enough.

Today’s call to action: Write to or call a friend who has served or is currently serving, saying thanks for his or her commitment.