Veterans Day is a day set aside as a time to thank and pay tribute to those Americans who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Veterans Day (not to be confused with Armed Forces Day which is usually in May) is always on November 11th. It is there to commemorate the small percentage of patriots who have put themselves in the hands of the country in order to protect and defend the US against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.

Previous members of the Armed Forces tend to use the day to reflect on their pride, patriotism and experiences in the service. From the numerous social media posts from previous Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines, and Guardians everywhere, it is evident that most are proud of the time they served despite the difficulty of situations they were placed in while serving. These members share their stories and photos, reminiscing about hard days served and the friendships formed. While not all veterans’ memories are positive –some are painful or even life- altering– the shared experiences while serving with others has a camaraderie-building effect. “Trauma bonding” is a term often thrown around as a way to describe the sense of what military members sometimes feel about their time and the people they served with. It can be explained as although times were hard, or even down-right sucked, getting through challenges alongside others created a special bond between mil members that is unmatched in the civilian world.

Even if the time served in the military wasn’t glorious all of the time, Veterans Day tends to bring out the nostalgia of the time where they were part of something bigger than themselves. The pride unfolds as civilians all over the country take extra time to thank them for their service and companies offer special freebies or meals to those who have served. It is a special day of remembrance for those who are no longer serving.

But what about those who are still serving? Those still in the thick of the scary moments or even the neverending government bureaucracy that plagues most military members during the time served. Do they feel the sense of pride and camaraderie about their military service?

It is impossible to get a perspective from every single serviceman or servicewoman, so it is likely that feelings are mixed; however, it seems that AD members, while often included in Veterans Day festivities, tend to project the pride outward to family members and those who served before them instead of on themselves.

For many AD members, November 11th usually results in an down day from work and an opportunity to receive some free meals, but it may not yet mean much else for themselves personally. However, as their Air Force journey eventually come to a close, it is possible that their thoughts and feelings about Veterans Day and what it means will likely change. Like so many things, when looking back on the time served it is usually easier to see it for the sacrifice it was rather than when in the thick of it.

That’s why Active Duty members are included in Veterans Day discounts and thank-yous. Even those who have never faced combat or battle or war, the sacrifice of being willing to do so is what Veterans Day is all about.

Thank-you to all the Veterans, those who currently serve and those that will serve in the future. It is because of you and your family’s sacrifices that allows Americans to live as we do each day.

You are willing to risk it all for our way of life, and that’s what Veterans Day means.

View our full Tribute to Service: https://www.nordaknorth.com/newspapers/northernsentry/online-issues/tribute-to-veterans-2024/