By Claralynn Schnell of ContemporaryVA

Today, is unlike other days.  Today is a day that is dedicated to the Veterans, those who have served, are serving and will serve in the future.  Today, I will be told over and over thank you for your service, a sentence that always makes me uncomfortable.  I feel as a veteran I fulfilled my calling. Being a Soldier was who I was meant to be.  I may no longer be an active duty Solider, I may no longer wear the uniform, but inside I am always a Solider.

Loyalty, duty, honor, respect, selfless service, integrity and personal courage are the values and morals that I still live my today.  Leave no man behind, is a credo I hold deep within my soul. I push people to be better, because it is only when you are at your best that you can truly become what you were destined to be.  Nothing less than your best is tolerated, because it could mean a life.  These are lessons that I carry with me today, lessons that I will continue to strive to uphold and lessons that I will teach my children, my friends and those I work with through my actions.

Veterans give much of their lives to serve, honor and protect the foundations of our nation.  It is through that service that men, women and children are free to live, eat, worship and marry of their own choice.  Many of my fellow Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines have given the ultimate sacrifice so that I may live in the world I do.  It is those men and women that I honor. The men and women who forever changed who I am to the core of my soul, I honor those men and women. To the men and women who wear the uniform today and spend countless hours, days, weeks and months away from their families, I honor them. Today I honor the brave men and women who have forever left an indelible footprint in the fabric of our country. Today I honor the sacrifices that the families of those Veterans. Today I honor all who came before and all who will go after. Thank you for the service you have given. Thank you for the honor of knowing you.