Veterans Day Musings

Every Veterans Day, I say, “thank you.” Every Veterans Day, it seems not enough. It often seems trite and small when I think about the great sacrifices that these great men and women have made simply so that I might live my life.

It is beyond anything that I can imagine – to run into danger and place oneself in the midst of situations I would desperately run out of.

The men and women who serve our country have sacrificed more than we can ever know. Their sacrifice does not stop when they complete their service. No, those sacrifices continue to come as military veterans wrestle with the images they have seen, the experiences they have had, the people they have lost, the guilt they carry.

When I think of those precious men and women – veterans that I am so proud to call friends – I am continually in awe of their courage. We owe our freedom to these men and women. I will never understand, but I will never stop supporting them.

In a time when we our losing our beautiful veterans at the shocking rate of 22 veterans taking their own lives each day, we must reach out. We must extend our hands. We must say thank you, but we must also listen. We must do better for these men and women. We must fight for them, here, on our soil – as hard as they have fought for us. Reach out to a veteran … and tell them they matter.

Thank you, U.S. Veterans.

Woodstock Harley-Davidson honors veterans at their Veterans Memorial. This garrison flag flies 50 feet above the memorial.

WHD presented a Remembrance Table at their Veterans Stand To event.

Display of the 509 Parachute Infantry Battalion memorabilia. 

POWs and MIAs were remembered and honored at WHD along with all veterans.

Military uniforms reflected in a military-style bike mirror at Woodstock Harley-Davidson.

More 509 PIB memorabilia and newspaper clippings.

All members of the military are represented, but my father and uncle were Marines and I have several very dear Marine friends, so this is important to me.

Timmerman's Patriotic Drill Team <3