Words are not adequate to describe the appreciation that we all feel toward those who have served our country here and overseas. Since the first war to win the freedom of the fledgling thirteen colonies until today, millions of men and women have proudly put on the uniform to stand in the gap for the rest of us who benefit from their devotion to this country. We often do not thank them enough, but days like today surely remind us that we are free, in large part, because of their sacrifice and service. We have veterans in our family, as many of you do, and we pause on Veteran’s Day to remember all that they have accomplished for us all.
We often visit my mother (age 97) in Missouri who still lives in the house where I grew up. As I pass this coat hanging by the door of my mom’s bedroom, I am always reminded of the man who wore it with great pride and honor. He was working three jobs to pay his way through college at the University of Missouri and participate in the Army ROTC program. One year away from graduation, my dad was compelled to put school on hold, and he joined the U.S. Army in 1942.
In some of his letters to his parents I’ve been privileged to read, my dad spoke of his great passion and drive to serve the country that had afforded him immense opportunity. Out of love for our United States of America, he did what thousands of other men and women unselfishly did during World War II. I am reminded also that there are thousands more who have since joined our military and have served just as honorably as my dad, our son, and grandson. They treasured our country and were willing to lay down their lives for it.
Unless you live with a service member or near a military base, you often don’t see men and women in uniform. Here are some fast facts from History.com about the veterans of the United States:
- 19 million living veterans served during at least one war as of April 2021.
- 11 percent of veterans are women.
- 5.9 million veterans served during the Vietnam War.
- 7.8 million veterans served in the Gulf War era.
- Of the 16 million Americans who served during World War II, about 240,000 were still alive as of 2021.
- 933,000 veterans served during the Korean War.
- As of 2021, the top three states with the highest percentage of Veterans were Alaska, Virginia and Montana.
We at Core Technology Solutions are very proud those who have served and that still serve in our military. We are grateful for the sacrifices you make every day. We are blessed that a number of our employees are veterans who bring that same honor and service to our company. We thank you all!
