OPINION: The meaning of Veterans Day

When people thank a veteran for their service, it’s often said quickly as a polite reflex, well-intentioned and sincere. But for those of us who’ve worn the uniform, those few words hold layers of memory that go far beyond the surface.

For me, Veterans Day is not about parades or uniforms, though both have their place. It’s about reflecting on the people who served beside me, on the sacrifices made quietly every day, and the shared sense of purpose that unites generations of Americans who chose to serve something greater than themselves.

I began my military career as a nursing officer in the U.S. Army during the 1980s. My first assignment was at Martin Army Hospital at Fort Benning, Georgia, with the remainder of my service in Germany, including during the Desert Storm era at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center which is the largest U.S. hospital outside the continental United States. It was a place where courage and compassion met daily: soldiers arriving from the frontlines, families waiting anxiously, nurses and doctors working tirelessly, knowing that each shift could bring heartbreak or hope.

Those experiences never leave you. They shape how you see the world and remind you that freedom isn’t an abstract idea. It’s paid for in service, endurance, and sometimes in loss.

When I left active duty, I carried that same sense of mission into civilian life. Working at the Veterans Administration Medical Center and then in public health, I saw many times over that the needs of our veterans don’t end when their service does. The uniforms may come off, but the commitment to care for those who served must continue.

Veterans Day is our reminder of that responsibility not just to thank and remember, but to understand and act. It’s a day to pause and honor every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, and Guardsman as well as their families who sacrificed and supported them.

I think often of the faces I saw in hospital wards in Germany, I think of how lucky we are, as Americans, to live in a nation where people still answer the call.

So as we honor our veterans this week, take a moment to truly see the veterans around you— and not just on Veteran’s Day. Listen to their stories. Learn their names. Support the organizations that serve them. Gratitude is powerful, but action makes a difference.

For those who served and for those still serving, thank you. Your courage continues to protect not just our nation, but our shared belief in what it means to be American. 

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Lora Whalen (U.S. Army Captain, Nurse Corps, 1984–1991), is a founding member of North Idaho Republicans.