Remember to Thank A Veteran Tomorrow

We all feel pride and thankfulness toward our military, living and deceased, but according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Day, which is tomorrow, November 11, is a day to honor primarily our living members of the military. They have sacrificed and served honorably to keep our country safe and free.

Formerly called Armistice Day by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919, after World War I officially ended on November 11, 1918 (“armistice” means truce or cease-fire), the day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. Veterans Day is always observed on November 11 to help, in the words of President Gerald Ford, “preserve in the hearts and lives of all Americans the spirit of patriotism, the love of country, and the willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good symbolized by this very special day.”

Within the moldmaking industry there is an abundance of patriotism that is demonstrated in so many ways, not the least of which is by flying the American flag outside of our businesses, large and small. Many also display Old Glory inside their facilities to show pride in our country and in American-made products.

Other examples of patriotism and ways the industry supports our veterans include the iWarriors, an organization dedicated to providing wounded members of the United States Marine Corps. with iPads and related items. Founded in 2011, and with the growing support of numerous companies and individuals in the moldmaking industry, iWarriors mission today has expanded to keeping hospitalized members of all branches of our military in touch with family and friends while they undergo numerous surgeries and intensive rehabilitation. 

Another example is a machine tool company that I wrote about earlier this year in a feature that put a spotlight on supplier companies’ workforce development programs. That company is Haas Automation, Inc. and its Gene Haas Foundation. The Foundation partnered with Vincennes University in Vincennes, Indiana, to fulfill the need to assist military veterans with skills training so they can transition more easily into the civilian workforce. For veterans who aren’t employed and don’t have the resources to pay for training, the Gene Haas foundation may be the answer. At the time MMT’s workforce development feature was published, it had provided more than $380,000 in scholarship support.

No matter what you may have planned on Saturday, show your gratitude to the military veterans you meet. Without their service throughout our history, our country could never have attained the freedoms we have enjoyed since 1776!