Let’s Make Gratitude Go Viral This Veterans Day!

This post is sponsored by Disabled American Veterans. All opinions are my own.

Someone from my family has served in almost every American war since the founding of our country.

It’s something that has always fueled my imagination. Sometimes, when I’m spending time at my parents’ house, I sit quietly in the log cabin and wonder what my ancestors who lived there must have thought at the time of the Revolution. I wonder what it must have been like to say goodbye to a father and son, their muskets in one hand, their supplies slung in bags over their backs, as they left for the battlefield and an uncertain future.

Honestly, I can’t imagine it.

Saying goodbye to John when he left for deployment was hard enough… even knowing we’d have the opportunity for Skype, phone calls, and R&R.

I can’t imagine saying goodbye indefinitely.

And yet, throughout the ages, military families have said goodbye again, and again, and again. The context and wars have changed, but the sacrifice hasn’t.

Much in the same way, the way we say thank you to veterans for their service, duty, and sacrifice has changed, but the meaning and emotion behind that thank you hasn’t.

Disabled American Veterans (DAV)  understands that the world is changing and that technology has opened so many more new ways to say thank you to veterans. DAV make sure that veterans are not forgotten and that they are supported. Through support services and lobbying, they ensure that every day is Veterans Day. For this Veterans Day, join DAV in creating a Thank A Vet video for your favorite veteran. (Or make one for every veteran you know! It’s free and easy!)

Just upload three pictures, finish a few sentence starters, and pick a song and background. Boom. Done. Share it on Facebook, tweet it, or download it and save it for later.

Here’s the video I created for John. While the military doesn’t define who he is, it has been a big part of his story. Especially this month, as he leaves the military for civilian life, it seems fitting to thank him for the six (almost 6 1/2!) years of service he’s given. And this video is a perfect, delightful way to do that.

There will never be enough thank yous to compensate for the time, hard work, and sacrifice our military has put into defending our country. But that doesn’t mean we can’t try or aren’t able to extend our gratitude. Spend a few minutes this Veterans Day publicly showering a bit of love on someone who has give so much of themselves. And then grab the video link and share it here in the comments with me! I’d love to see what you create!

Click here to access the DAV Thank A Vet video maker and get started!