How OIT Veterans Celebrate Veterans Day
How OIT Veterans Celebrate Veterans Day
What does Veterans Day mean to the many veterans who work in OIT? We asked this question and found their answers to be as personal and individual as their military experiences.
David McGraw
Even as a kid, Veterans Day was important and a big deal. My grandfather served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and my father was in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. The whole idea of service was something even as a kid that I truly valued and appreciated. I was very proud to serve in the U.S. Army. Veterans Day means a lot to me. It’s a wonderful time to thank the men and women who wore the uniform and to thank the men and women who are wearing the uniform. I don’t think about or focus on myself so much on that day. I think about those who served and who are serving. I must admit, it does make me feel proud to hear someone say, “Thank you for your service.”
Alex Smith
A lot of people look at Veterans Day in a very somber light because of all the sacrifices that veterans have made for the cause of freedom. I try to look at it from a positive light and think about the wonderful people I have met through my military experience, the life-long friendships I’ve made, and the wonderful memories I have from time in the service.
Matt Schmid
My grandfather was a captain in the Army in World War II, and he was definitely a role model who piqued my interest in the military. As far as Veterans Day itself, to me it’s a reflection of the big picture. As a federal employee in a democracy that veterans have fought to protect, it’s about being responsive to customers and faithful to the spirit of the law, because the law derives its authority from the people. It really comes back to being a federal employee in a democracy. We’re here to serve the people.
Tony Chapman
When I think of Veterans Day, I think of all the sacrifices that veterans have made for freedom and how much they have given back to the country. I have many friends from my time in the military who are doing very well. But mostly I think of the sacrifices veterans have made – giving back to the country like no other – and how grateful I am to them all. I take advantage of all the Veterans Day traditions every year and really enjoy them. Would I re-up in the military knowing what I know now? I definitely would and would definitely end up in computers or the medical field.
Claudia Pak
I came here from Brazil when I was 17. My family was originally from Korea and my grandparents went through the war and didn’t want to go through that anymore. So for me, Veterans Day is really about the recognition from American citizens of all that my colleagues and I have done in the service. That means a lot.
Julie Mason
For me, Veterans Day is a time to step back and go “wow” and appreciate what others do and have done for their country. I also take a moment to appreciate what I did. I’m proud of my service. I was not a good fit for the military, but I’m very proud of it and know that my life’s trajectory has been positively impacted by it. So I try to take the time to recognize that because mostly I don’t see myself as a veteran. I consider myself a fake veteran. So many other people have given so much more than I did in time served and in of themselves, physically and emotionally. Some gave their lives. That wasn’t my experience. So I struggle wearing the veteran label. But I try to take the day to remember that I did because I am proud of that. I love my country. My country matters to me. Having served it even because of so much that was given to me, even as an 18-year-old, mattered to me. So I do take the time. In my head I go, “I earned this day off. I deserve it.” So I take that because I don’t usually acknowledge it much.
Brian Jennings
What does Veterans Day mean to me? Well, most practically, it’s a federal holiday and a day off. That’s always a plus, but I suppose there is more to it than that. I could more easily tell you what it doesn’t mean to me. It doesn’t mean finding out which local business will give me a discount. It doesn’t mean telling war stories, watching war movies, or rummaging through foot-lockers of memorabilia. I’ll just smile to myself, fondly remembering precious people, places, and moments from a past life, and I’ll quietly and sincerely say “thank you” to those who I know also served. Quietly, because I’m not looking to alienate anyone around me who isn’t a veteran, and I acknowledge that there are other ways to serve. Sincerely, because I’m not just thanking them for their service in general, but thanking them specifically for being there with me. Like CMS, the military is a team of teams. It’s not the job you do, it’s the service that counts. Whatever their individual military service entailed, it contributed to our shared successes.
William Frank
It really means more to me because of the fellow vets I served with who deserve the recognition more. I served, but it was a job. I deployed a couple of times and did my job well, but I don’t feel that I deserve special recognition for it. I served with several people whose experiences were more arduous than mine or were injured and they do deserve that special recognition. To me, Veterans Day is more about celebrating them.