It’s mid-November. Halloween is long gone and the bowl of candy has dwindled down to less desirable pieces. Veterans Day has passed and the flag was raised and saluted. It’s now Monday and the flag has risen again. This past Veterans Day, the country honored all veterans who served during war or peacetime. You may have seen military members in their uniform and hopefully thanked them for their service. Maybe you tailgated, watched some football and celebrated Florida State’s victory. This holiday might just be one before Thanksgiving, the one that gives you a three-day weekend. However, for me, Veterans Day is a part of my everyday life. From day one in ROTC and Officer Training School, cadets are taught to revere their higher ranking officers and peers. To ensure the tradition of respect continues, courtesies have been established to hold servicemen and women to the highest standards. Saluting the flag, saluting higher ranking officers, standing at attention when an officer enters the room, are only some of the courtesies taught to service members. On Veterans Day, the general public takes part in honoring veterans. To the average military member, every day is Veterans Day.

I grew up watching my dad ironing his uniform every Sunday night. I would listen as he discussed his teleconferences, briefings, and upcoming TDY’s. I remember watching my dad’s promotion ceremonies, someone would walk up, change the rank on his shoulders, and my dad would salute them first. As a child, watching the salutes drop at different times confused me. I thought the procedure would look better if they were ordered simultaneously. I soon learned that this is a well-known courtesy. I grew up learning Air Force customs and courtesies from my dad and mom, both veterans. Some of the aspects of military life seem peculiar to the outsider, but they make us who we are. Now that I’m beginning my own career in the Air Force, I feel that I’m continuing, not only with his legacy but with the legacy of all past airmen. I wear the uniform just as thousands of past airmen have and by doing so, I continue with the tradition of honor.

You don’t have to wait for next Veterans Day to thank military members for their service. Keep in mind the men and women who sacrifice so much and live every day with reverence for their country. I realize that Veterans day has passed and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Before you mash the potatoes, baste the turkey and sit down to eat with friends and family, remember the military members that will not be coming home for the holidays. Remember those who sacrifice themselves in order for us to live freely and safely. The President conducts the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns on both Veterans day and Memorial day, however, this grave is guarded twenty-four hours a day, every day. The military does not forget to honor their own. Every day, military members go to work in order to fulfill the mission set forth by our commander in chief. Every day, we live to honor our Veterans and continue the legacy of heroism.