Every year on Veterans Day, we pause to reflect on the meaning of service — what it demands, what it costs, and what it gives. As someone who has lost more friends than I can count, along with my own limbs, I know the price of freedom.
But beyond the battlefield, beyond the sacrifice, Veterans Day also reminds me of promises, like our promise to those who served: that we will remember, that we will honor, and that we will act.
RESTORING AMERICA: THE PENTAGON’S ACQUISITION PROCESS IS BROKEN
We remember the young Army Ranger who raised his hand and swore to protect this nation. We remember the bomb-disposal technician who walked into the danger that everyone else wanted to get away from. We remember the families at home: the spouses, the children, and the parents who waited, worried, and prayed. My own journey from the battlefield to the halls of Congress taught me that service isn’t a moment — it’s a calling, a lesson, a way of life, and can come in many forms.
To honor our military, we must supply the tools they need, and that is the same for honoring our veterans after they hang up the uniform. It means ensuring access to quality healthcare, meaningful employment, education and training, as well as the treatment of injuries — visible and invisible — with dignity and respect.
From my time on the battlefield and in recovery, I saw firsthand the strength of the human spirit. Now in Congress, I carry that experience with me.
In Washington, I have pressed for reforms that make the system work for veterans, including faster claims processing, better access to mental health support, increased emphasis on retraining and education, and improving the facilities in which our veterans are served. I was the first member of Congress to open an office inside a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital to better serve my brothers and sisters in arms from all times of service.
On this Veterans Day, I plead that we always stand with those brothers and sisters in arms. We cannot simply praise veterans and then ignore the challenges they face — high rates of homelessness, unaddressed physical and mental wounds, and the complex transition to civilian life. It’s a shared duty for our communities, our churches, our businesses, and our daily lives.
When a veteran walks into a local store, or classroom, or city hall, we owe them at the very least an acknowledgement that they were willing to sacrifice for those they never knew, and I would hope a warm welcome, a willing ear, and a helping hand.
Veterans carry stories of courage. They remind us of something essential about America: we are a nation underwritten by sacrifice. We are a society built by people who ran toward the fight. And every veteran, every servicemember past and present, kept alive that fighting spirit and went on to inspire the next generation.
On this Veterans Day, let us recommit ourselves — not just to saying “thank you,” but to doing what must be done: providing, protecting, and preparing for those who have borne the burden of our freedom. Our veterans have earned more than applause — they have earned our support and dedication.
RESTORING AMERICA: AMERICA’S HEROES SHOULD NEVER BE WAITING FOR A PAYCHECK
As I stand today with my colleagues in the House of Representatives, I reflect on what this nation owes its veterans — and I also reflect on what they still give to us. The mission doesn’t stop when service ends. The call to duty doesn’t quit when the uniform comes off. To them I say: Thank you, I see you, I will not forget.
I thank God for blessing America with our veterans.
Brian Mast represents Florida’s 21st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan. He is chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
