18 Poignant Veterans Day Quotes

Every year on Nov. 11, we celebrate all of the men and women who have served in our armed forces — and remember all of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. Of course, we should be honoring our military veterans every day of the year, but here are a few Veterans Day quotes to get you in the patriotic spirit of the holiday.

Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day, though they both focus on our nation’s military veterans. While Memorial Day is aimed at honoring the men and women who have died while fighting in an active war, or who died due to injuries sustained during wartime, Veterans Day is a time to celebrate all veterans — both living and deceased— whether they served during war or peace time. I have veterans of all kinds in my own family, from an Army bomb disposal specialist in Korea who never saw combat, to an Air Force pilot who flew a handful of missions over the Pacific during World War II.

But Veterans Day is also the perfect time to start conversations about how we take care of those who have fought for us — especially when it comes to sexual assault and mental health. The members of our armed forces know better than most that actions speak louder than words ever can, and the true way to honor these heroes is to make sure that they and their families are taken care of, war or no war.

1. “The willingness of America's veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.” — Jeff Miller

2. “When the peace treaty is signed, the war isn't over for the veterans, or the family. It's just starting.” — Karl Marlantes

3. “Caring for veterans shouldn't be a partisan issue. It should an American one.” — Jennifer Granholm

4. “In valor there is hope.” — Publius Cornelius Tacitus

5. “Honoring the sacrifices many have made for our country in the name of freedom and democracy is the very foundation of Veterans Day.” — Charles B. Rangel

6. “How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!” — Maya Angelou

7. “Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.” — Michel de Montaigne

8. “This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.” — Elmer Davis

9. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — President John F. Kennedy

10. “America's veterans have served their country with the belief that democracy and freedom are ideals to be upheld around the world. “ — John Doolittle

11. “I think there is one higher office than president, and I would call that patriot.” — Gary Hart

12. “Our veterans accepted the responsibility to defend America and uphold our values when duty called.” — Bill Shuster

13. “In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated, and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.” — Mark Twain

14. “The most persistent sound, which reverberates through men’s history, is the beating of war drums.” — Arthur Koestler

15. “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

16. “The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.” — Patrick Henry

17. “Without heroes, we are all plain people, and don’t know how far we can go.” — Bernard Malamud

18. “In war, there are no unwounded soldiers.” —José Narosky

Images: Giphy (18)