We continue sharing your Veterans Day messages with notes about honor. For some, it is the honor to have served alongside the strongest and bravest among us. For others, Veterans Day is about the honor that those who have fought for our country have bestowed on families and communities. Today we honor their service and their memory.

Here are your messages about honor:

RL. Dunn:

Growing up, a picture of my father wearing his 1st Lieutenant’s uniform hung in my living room. He was a man who thrived on imparting the history of serving during World War II. He taught the value of understanding how important our veterans were to the blanket of our country, the sacrifices made by the veterans and their families, and the ideal that if you disagreed with the country’s decision to participate in a war, never disagree with the veteran.

As an adult, my awareness of the veteran community has grown extending to family who served and are serving in every branch dating back to the Civil War. We need to do a better job taking care of and honoring their commitment.

Currently our country is consumed with selfishness; our citizens take for granted the sacrifices made.

On this Veterans Day I urge people to appreciate the sacrifices made so that others may be so selfish.

To our veterans: Thank you for your service. You are appreciated.

Glen P.:

I’m a veteran as was my dad, retired Marine, and my two grandfathers. I was always aware of our devotion to duty and country. It really hit home two years ago for what it really meant to me. My grandfather, mother’s dad, passed away in his 90s. He never talked about his service but I knew he had served and I truly regret not talking to him about it.

I came into possession of his original USMC documents and the one that really hit me hard was his orders as a Shore Party Man on Iwo Jima. He fought there and survived. I treasure those documents and his faithful service without recognition! So Veterans Day is a day of honor and recognition for those who don’t seek it.

Jason C.:

In today’s environment of separation, I remember people from all walks of life serving next to each other. Coming from different worlds to serve a common cause.

Eduard V.P.:

Veterans Day means for me the people who served in the army, in combat or not. It is a day to honor them for their time serving the people in any country.

Edmund K.:

To serve, to place the welfare of others, ahead of yourself. Becoming rich in tradition and spirit, to instill honor, integrity, commitment and self sacrifice, all in defense of a nation worth defending.

Thomas P.:

Veterans Day to me is the one day where we focus on all veterans. It does not matter if they have passed on or are living. We can show respect and honor to all of those that were willing to serve our country. Time to reflect on great moments, memories and friendships to cherish.

Craig A.:

I was born with a bad kidney. So despite my desire to join the military, I was labeled “4F.” Fortunately, I have had the honor of having some incredible veterans in my family and in my life. So I understand and appreciate the hell that is combat as well as the superhuman sacrifices our men and women in uniform make. If our government is the platform, veterans are the pillars that support our republic.

These pillars started out straight and strong. But combat has chipped away at some of them. The pain of seeing a brother or sister killed in battle. The sounds and smells of combat leave emotional scars. My Great Uncle, Willard Rowley served in the Army during World War II. He is gone now but I really got to know him better by watching his interview for the Library of Congress. R.D. Brown, Ph.D. was my mentor in college. He served in the 82nd Airborne in World War II. He was my English professor and the stories he told helped me to understand the sacrifices made by our troops. Another veteran I will call “Mike” served in the OSS in the Pacific. His job was to kill Japanese officers. He was a Navy SEAL before there was such a thing, a genuine plank holder. My friend Tony was with SEAL Team One a decade ago. He suffered some serious PTS (Post-traumatic Stress) from combat.

All of these great men are or were my friends and I have the greatest respect for all veterans. My dad served in Vietnam as a doctor with the 2nd of the 12th Artillery Battalion from 1968 to 1969. I was fortunate to meet a man who served as a LRRP operator in Vietnam. All of these men are honorable, brave, and supermen in my eyes. They are the pillars that support our republic.

And they don’t hear this enough: Thank you for service, sacrifices, and your courage. Without you, America would not exist.

Aubrey M.:

My name is Aubrey F. Moncrief LTC retired Army reserves. I am a Vietnam Veteran, 1968-69, with 5th Army Special Forces Green Beret.

This day is important for me to remember my comrades who did not come home, who did not have the chance to have a family and children that they can influence by their bravery and courage. I’m a veteran only because of them. I’m not special they are. I’m not brave and courageous they were. I’m here to remember them and every year I am alive to honor them, the true veterans. God bless them all.

David M.:

There is a special brotherhood that can only be understood or appreciated by veterans and their families. No other institution in life has that brotherhood.

Brent S.:

Live every damn day to your fullest. Live like it’s your last. Live for those brothers next to you, for those on whose shoulders you stand on, and for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, who can’t celebrate with us today but are always with us in spirit.

Kari P.:

Veterans Day to me is a day that should be used to honor every single person that has made the decision and sacrifice to serve.

I am a civilian who is married to a Marine. Some serve during peacetime and some serve during wartime, but you never really know what you are signing up for. My husband Devin Roberts (USMC) served during peacetime, my nephew Skylar McAnelly (USMC) served during wartime, and my brother-in-law Neil Roberts (DEVGRU) made the ultimate sacrifice and lost his life. My son-in-law, Mark Walline (NAVY) is currently serving.

I am forever grateful for all of them serving to keep America safe and secure. #Warriors

Richard C.:

I served 12 years as an Army Ranger, 1975 – 1987. Trained with and alongside men who I consider real heroes. Then Cpt., Robert Howard (MoH) was my Ranger Class, TAC Officer, Class 3-7t, (last “test” class from 1,000 pt to go/no go, grading system), September – November 1976. Then 1SG, Gary Littrell (MoH), was my Company 1SG – C Co 1st Bn Rgr 75th Inf. 1977 – 1978. Plus, many others who have served with dignity, honor, and self-sacrifice, for the betterment of this Country.

I was just a soldier. As long as we have men like these, from the past, the present, and into the future, the United States of America will stand tall, long and proud!

Paul W.:

In Canada, at the 11th hour, on the 11th day of the 11th month we take the time to honor our heroes, both fallen and still with us. I was inspired to join our military by one of those heroes, by my hero.

My father served before I did, and every year at this time of year I feel how proud of me he is, though I hardly deserve it.

This day is the day I feel closest to my father, even though I’m so far away. Ever since I put a uniform on, I haven’t been able to attend a ceremony with him, and this year our ceremonies have all been cancelled because of a pandemic. I’m still going to go outside and take time to honor our heroes, and do it for my hero, for my dad.

They say never to meet your heroes. I was raised by mine.

Brian D.:

There is a Wall of honor, and as the changing of the seasons, I have made special trips to view it. It is not the kind of a “Wall” where I am required to climb over. Yet I have to struggle with what they have etched on this Wall.

They told us ‘Nam vets that this is our “Wall.”

They made it of dark stone. I can see my own reflection on it.

This Wall, a reminder that I owe a debt.

The debt to remember those 12 young men with whom I had the honor to have once served.

On this Wall they made it easy to find their names: they are all gathered near each other on panels 6/W and 7/W. They etched their names on that stone for me to view, those members of my 75th Ranger Company.

This “Wall” has instilled in me a purpose to live my life as large possible.

Most importantly to love and to enjoy this life and adventures that I have been given. Trying to be the best man that I can be.

Some members of my unit died from “PTSD” long after the shooting was over. Those who were not able to handle PTSD and were then victimized by it, they also deserved to be etched on this sacred “Wall.”

This “Wall” leaves me with “survivor’s guilt.” After I left ‘Nam in March 1971, more friends from my company, which I had left behind, were killed. Those names are also etched to our “Wall.”

My guilt is that I survived. Better men than me did not.

I was blessed, that my name is not etched on this “Wall.”

“I am a Fortunate Son.”

The poet once wrote, when that question was asked, ‘Whom shall we send, and who will go for us?’ Some young men said, “here we are, send us!”