Today is Veterans Day, a time to recognize and thank our military servicemen and servicewomen. As a civilian, my frame of reference for the kind of sacrifice these individuals make is limited. In my efforts to better understand and appreciate their experiences – and enormous contributions – I have relied on a few movies that I find extremely inspirational.
Amid the pandemic, people are subscribing to streaming services and watching movies more than ever. Movies bring history to life, inspiring generations across the globe. Classics like “The Longest Day” with John Wayne and “Saving Private Ryan” with Tom Hanks certainly leave an impression. Yet the movie scene I find most unforgettable features Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”. For me, this scene hits harder than all of the rest – and it takes place in a cereal aisle.
I have never served my country in any military capacity. But I can try to imagine the struggle of finding meaning in his everyday choices following experience in combat. The aftermath that is seldom uttered, and seemingly quickly forgotten, is a battle that confronts the bigger themes of purpose and family. I imagine this brings to mind your own favorite movies in this genre.
Such movies illustrate that the veterans in our lives are extremely special. And Veterans Day affords Americans the opportunity to pay our respects to all who have served our country during war and peacetime. How we pay tribute to these brave individuals is personal. For some, it involves making a phone call. Others honor veterans with a tag on social media. Listening, learning about, witnessing and sharing the stories of our veterans helps remind us of what they have sacrificed, how they continue to contribute, and the many benefits we all enjoy as a result.
Last week, I had the honor of speaking in one of the SingleStore community’s recent tributes. On Nov. 7, Mitchell Wright helped his father, Col. Robert Wright, who is a retired Marine from Oakland, Calif., to celebrate the 245th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.
With the help from fellow Marines and their families, the Wrights acquired and placed a small flag on every one of the 2,600 Marine’s graves at the Sacramento National Cemetery.
This exemplified the Marine Corp motto Semper Fidelis, which means always faithful in Latin. And it symbolizes the lifelong commitment held by every Marine for the Corps and America.
