By Amanda Huffman
Contributing Writer
Veterans Day on November 11 is a great time to thank a Veteran for the sacrifice they made to serve our country — even though some may feel uncomfortable when you recognize them. Here are some easy ways to show your support to the Veteran community.
1. Create a Post on Social Media
An easy way to honor the service of Veterans is to say thank you via social media. Your post can highlight individuals you know personally or be more broad and say thank you to all Veterans who have served.
2. Attend a Veterans Day Parade or Ceremony
If your community holds a Veterans Day parade or ceremony, attend the event and take your family with you. Including your kids gives them the opportunity to learn about the history and significance of Veterans Day, and perhaps even hear Veterans’ stories.
3. Write a Card for a Veteran
For the past few years, I have sent out cards to Veterans around Veterans Day. My sons are always involved in making the cards we send out and sometimes I have even visited their classrooms to encourage the other students to make cards, too. I love hearing the stories of children in the classroom who make a card for a family member they know who has served.
The messages of thanks for these letters make me smile. They can be just the thing a Veteran needs and a reminder that people have not forgotten their service and are proud of them.
4. Host an Event at a School or in the Community to Honor Veterans
If you can host an event for Veterans at your kids’ school or in your workplace, try to plan one. A special lunch or ceremony there can be a terrific way to recognize the service of Veterans. Even visiting your child’s class and sharing your own story as a Veteran can be really special. I’ve had the opportunity to share my story in my children’s classrooms and it has been very meaningful for me and my kids.
5. Ask a Veteran About Their Military Experience
Although some Veterans do not like the common “thank you for your service,” they do like to talk about their experiences in the military. Ask them about when they served, what branch they were a part of, their job, and any special memories from their service. Open a door to conversation about their experience in the military. You will probably learn something you didn’t know and it will give the Veteran an opportunity to share their service with you.
6. Fly Your Flag
Another way to show your support for Veterans and the military community is to fly the American flag on Veterans Day. It is a quick, visually easy way to recognize and remember the sacrifice Veterans have made for their country.
7. Support Veteran-Owned Businesses
Another great way to support Veterans on Veterans Day and throughout the year is to support Veteran business owners. Many Veterans leap into entrepreneurship after their service using the skills they learned from the military to run their businesses. If you know a Veteran who owns a business, support their work on Veterans Day.
8. Volunteer at a Veteran Organization
Veteran volunteer organizations are doing amazing work for the military community and are often looking for volunteers. Volunteer to support their efforts at a local or national Veteran nonprofit, like the VFW, American Legion, and Disabled American Veterans, just to name a few.
9. Send a Care Package to Someone Serving
Another great way to honor Veterans is to remember those who are still serving by sending a care package to a military family or servicemember overseas. If you don’t know anyone serving, Troopster offers the opportunity to send care packages to servicemembers in need of support.
Showing you care about your fellow servicemembers on Veterans Day is an important part of the connection you have with all of those who have given their time and energy to serve our Nation. I encourage you to make the effort to remember and appreciate them through one of the options given or maybe there is something you can add to the list. Please share it in the comments.
Amanda is a military Veteran who served in the Air Force for six years as a Civil Engineer who served on a combat deployment with the Army in Afghanistan. She traded in her combat boots for a diaper bag to stay home with her two boys and follow her husband’s military career in the Space Force. Amanda is the host of the Women of the Military podcast. There she shares the stories of women who have served or are serving in the military. The podcast has over 200 episodes and over 100K downloads. Amanda is also an author and has published two books. Her first book, Women of the Military tells the stories of 28 military women who served in the military. Her second book, A Girl’s Guide to Military Service, is the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Winner for Teen Non Fiction. It is a guide for high school girls considering military service to help them build a strong foundation for their future career. She also works as a freelance writer and has been featured in a number of military publications including The War Horse, Military.com, Military Families Magazine, Clearance Jobs, Military Spouse Magazine, and more.
