“Render therefore to all their dues...honour to whom honour” (Romans 13:7).
It is important to value veterans. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of the U.S. Army. Next year, the United States will celebrate its 250th birthday as a nation. The slightly earlier birthday of the Army is a reminder that, without the Continental Army, there would have been no birth of a nation. The nation had confidence in those first veterans and selected the Commander-in-Chief as its first president.
Without the Army and other Armed Forces, the U.S. would not have survived as a nation. For this reason, we honor our veterans. On Memorial Day, we remember those who gave their lives. On Armed Forces Day, we honor those currently serving and those who served in the past. On Veterans Day (originally Armistice Day, marking the end of WWI), we honor those who returned home.
“The horrors of a battlefield cannot by described, they must be seen. The most shocking sight I ever saw; ghastly, O what a sight, it almost makes me shudder to think of it, I am shure I would not want you to witness the sight I did.” — Civil War Soldier [1]
Remember. Many veterans paid a high price. It is important to remember their sacrifice on our behalf. Many endured hardships in faraway places and difficult situations, separated from loved ones. Many continue to deal with injuries. For every service member who died in Iraq or Afghanistan, seven others were injured. Decades later, many still struggle with stress and sleep problems. In 2022, 17.6 veterans took their lives every day. [2]
“Nobody at home can form the least idea of the hardships a soldier has to go through.” — Civil War Soldier
Reflect. It is helpful to reflect on how service members have benefited not just the U.S. but also other nations. For example, where would South Korea be without those who served in the Korean War? We also benefited from peacekeepers through the decades since the war ended. Were it not for the sacrifice of these veterans, South Korea would suffer as North Korea does today.
“People at home owe a debt to the soldiers that they can never pay let them do whatever they may they can never cancel the obligation.” — Civil War Soldier
Respect. It is clear we owe veterans a great deal of gratitude and respect, so identify veterans in your community and look for ways to honor them. In 2023, almost 15.8 million veterans lived in the U.S. The largest group served during the Gulf War era (8.4 million). Vietnam War veterans account for 5.2 million. [3] In 2020, more than one million Korean War veterans [4] and an estimated 66,000 World War II veterans were still living. [5] (Use the Know Your Community report to identify specific numbers of veterans from each conflict in your own area.)
As each year passes, we lose more veterans, along with the opportunity to minister to them, honor them, and learn from them. I encourage our churches to ask veterans to share stories about their service, where they served, and what their service taught them. This is an opportunity to enact Titus 2, where the older teach the younger about sacrifice, duty, and honor. Let’s value our veterans! This is what God has told us to do.
