Today, throughout our great nation, we celebrate Veterans Day and honor those who have and those who continue to serve our nation.  The day we celebrate as Veterans Day traces its legacy to Armistice Day declared by President Woodrow Wilson on November 11, 1919.  On that day, as the nation remembered the end of the First World War, he said, “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”  This simple declaration captures the essence of what it is to be a Veteran.  Service and sacrifice embody the characteristics of all our Veterans.

In our region, veterans have served with great distinction in times of peace and war.  Many say our region’s first Veteran was Major John A. Lejeune (pronounced LeJERN), who was in charge of the Marine battalion tasked with securing the Isthmus of Panama for construction of the Canal in 1903.  He served for forty years, culminating his service to the nation as the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps, earning the distinction of being called, “the greatest of all Leathernecks.”

Beyond defending the Panama Canal, U.S. Caribbean Command (USSOUTHCOM predecessor) was responsible for building inter-American security cooperation in Central and South America.  Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen served honorably and helped develop our combined capacity through military training exercises, various civic action projects and humanitarian assistance missions.

We are blessed to have almost 17 million Veterans alive today.  We stand on their shoulders, honor their service and sacrifice, and thank them for the blessings of freedom, liberty, and prosperity we all enjoy.  We also honor those who serve today – I witness your dedication, your competence, and selfless sacrifice every day and I am very proud to serve with you.  In addition, I want to acknowledge the service of our families – they support, care for, and selflessly serve our nation as honorably as our Veterans – thank you.  As we celebrate this Veterans Day, please thank our Veterans and their families.

Have a safe and enjoyable Veterans Day.