Learning from Our Veterans

I grew up in a military household—my father was a career US Navy officer. During the Vietnam War, he captained a ship that took him and hundreds of soldiers across the world and away from their families for a year. It was hard on all of us, but he was doing important work—something that both we, his family, and those under his command understood and respected.

When he was not serving during wartime, my dad taught marine geology and physical oceanography at the US Naval Academy. He taught his students important science, but he also showed them how to become leaders in their field, to rise to meet their duties and obligations, and to lead with honor and strength.

His lessons didn’t stop in the classroom, however—he was a teacher at home as well. My father taught my sisters and me about hard work, dedication, respect, and tolerance. He taught us how to make bread, change a tire, sail, and be self-reliant good citizens of the country and the world. These are life lessons that I carry with me still to this day (although I haven’t had to change a tire in a while).

Like so many veterans, my father was quiet about his service. He never said much about his time away from us during wartime. But when he passed away, my mother received a letter from the President of the United States, thanking my dad for his service to our country.

This Veteran’s Day, we honor the men and women who keep our country safe, who protect our rights and our freedoms, and who show by example how to be global citizens. I’m proud to be the daughter, sister-in-law, and friend to so many of these exceptional veterans, and I thank them all—and the ones I don’t know—for their service.

Written by:
Jennifer Harlett
Senior Copywriter, Envision