On this day, take a moment to offer thanks to the extraordinary men and women who have protected the nation throughout history.
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In November of 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November Eleventh as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “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…”
Let’s all take a moment on this Veteran’s Day to honor those ordinary people who have done something extraordinary so that we may all enjoy the freedom we treasure today.
Here is a collection of inspirational Veterans Day quotes to support you in your time of reflection.
1. “Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.” — Michel de Montaigne
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2. “Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys. Look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death!”
–Sun Tzu
3. “Without heroes, we are all plain people, and don’t know how far we can go.”
— Bernard Malamud
4. “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with lots of 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.” — Woodrow Wilson
5. “In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans’ organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose.” — Dwight D. Eisenhower
6. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — John F. Kennedy
7. “War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.” — Jimmy Carter
8. “On this Veterans Day, let us remember the service of our veterans, and let us renew our national promise to fulfill our sacred obligations to our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much so that we can live free.” — Dan Lipinski
9. “My heroes are those who risk their lives every day to protect our world and make it a better place–police, firefighters, and members of our armed forces.” — Sidney Sheldon
10. “We remember those who were called upon to give all a person can give, and we remember those who were prepared to make that sacrifice if it were demanded of them in the line of duty, though it never was. Most of all, we remember the devotion and gallantry with which all of them ennobled their nation as they became champions of a noble cause.” — Ronald Reagan
11. “The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” — Abraham Lincoln
12. “Better than honor and glory, and History’s iron pen, Was the thought of duty done and the love of his fellow-men.” — Richard Watson Gilder
13. “We will not tire, We will not falter, We will not fail.” — George W. Bush
14. “Our veterans accepted the responsibility to defend America and uphold our values when duty called.” –Bill Shuster”
15. “How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!” — Maya Angelou
16. “The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.” — Jeff Miller
17. “In war, there are no unwounded soldiers.” — José Narosky
18. “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” — President George Washington
19. “Well, look at what people are doing for returned veterans now. The wounded warriors. They’re working hard to make the wounded veterans feel that they are loved and welcomed home, unlike Vietnam. It was not a very kind, gentle world then. I think we are kinder and gentler.” — Barbara Bush
20. “The hero is the man dedicated to the creation and / or defense of reality-conforming, life-promoting values.” — Andrew Bernstein
21. “It’s about how we treat our veterans every single day of the year. It’s about making sure they have the care they need and the benefits that they’ve earned when they come home. It’s about serving all of you as well as you’ve served the United States of America.”
— Barack Obama
This article was originally written by Marla Tabaka and appeared here.
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