Veterans have earned our support

For more than 230 years, our brave service men and women have underwritten our freedom by duty, honor and selfless service. Come Nov. 11, Americans everywhere will give pause on Veterans Day to honor our men and women who have served in the armed forces.

Throughout our history, service men and women have demonstrated our strength and resolve to preserve our freedom through their willingness to serve and sacrifice, defending freedom and the flag symbolizing it worldwide.

Our troops embody our nation’s will and resolve to preserve our freedom. Thus it becomes our duty to support our troops and our veterans, who, at great personal sacrifice, enforce our will and resolve as a people.

President John F. Kennedy said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” Let’s hang our flags this Veterans Day, but let’s also honor our nation’s veterans by proactively welcoming home the newly returned from deployment.

You can also tell veterans who may not be enrolled for VA health care to drop by their local VA medical center or outpatient clinic, to call the VA Maryland Health Care System’s Enrollment Center at 1-800-463-6295, ext. 7324, or to visit our website at www.maryland.va.gov to enroll for VA health care. At the VA Maryland Health Care System, every day is Veterans Day.

Smith is the director of the VA Maryland Health Care System.

Catholic Review

The Catholic Review is the official publication of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.