Every year I make a little graphic to say thank you to the men and women, past though future, for their service to our country. It’s nothing. Seriously, it’s nothing, and that’s not even compared to what they do.

What I can do is continue to push to improve the lives of service members and veterans. I had a long chat with a Gunny at the USMC Barracks in Washington DC a few years ago. The gist of the conversation was that: Americans need to remember that we have men and women in harm’s way all over the world, and we shouldn’t forget that they’re out there; remember that all military service has risks and stresses. Folks setting aside the uniform need help of widely different scales. Now we know how badly they need jobs and job training when they get back to the world.

I’m a small voice, in comparison to the giants in government, but, I am still a voice. I will always use my voice to stand up for the men and women that do the work, and to shout down those who won’t. Thanks you for your service.