This week, we celebrate Veterans Day. This is day to reflect on the courage, resilience and sacrifice of those who have served our nation. Veterans Day is a federal holiday for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, commemorated in other countries, marking the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Hence, Veterans Day is celebrated annually on November 11.
AME honors the men and women who have served in our armed forces. They shared a commitment to protect our freedom. For this, we owe them our gratitude. We are dedicated to fostering a society that can continuously improve the support, recognition and opportunities available to them. As we celebrate and reflect on Veterans Day, we should also consider how we can advocate for policies and programs that support veterans and their families. As continuous improvement professionals, this is an opportunity to look for better ways to recognize all they have given for our freedom.
I have shared before that I come from a military family. My father was in the Army, and my uncle was a Marine. My nephew is serving in the U.S. Army. Choosing this path is not merely a career decision; it is a commitment to a life of service, sacrifice and dedication to a cause far greater than oneself. I am grateful to my family and friends who serve or have served and to all our AME family of veterans. We honor and are forever grateful for your sacrifices. I want to extend special thanks to my stepdad, John Rasanen, who passed away this week, for his service in the U.S. Army.
As a reminder, AME offers free membership to military veterans. This is a small token of our appreciation for those who protect our freedoms, preserve peace and aid in times of crisis.
Please take a moment this week to thank a veteran. I will be recapping our AME Atlanta 2024 International Conference in a future letter. If you have anything you would like to share about the conference in this letter, please send it to me at Khumphrey@ame.org.
As always, please stay safe and keep looking out for one another.
