Veterans Day commemorates the service and sacrifice of all who have served in defense of our nation and is a tradition dating back to the armistice of World War I on November 11, 1918. Armistice Day, as it was then known, celebrated the end of the War to End All Wars. Unfortunately, that was not the end of large-scale conflict. After World War II ended in 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day in honor of the veterans of all wars. To commemorate Veterans Day this year, we asked LMIers to submit stories about what it means to be a veteran. Read their memories and insights below.
Thank you to the men and women who have put on the uniform to serve our country.
Serving the Community
Demetrius Roberts, United States Navy (retired) | Consultant, Product Research Operations
Being a veteran means continued service as a citizen, despite no longer being in uniform, and contributing to my nation in a different role by serving my community, the current warfighter, and as a pillar of knowledge passed on to the warfighter. I truly feel honored in serving my country; being called a veteran honors that service.
Opening the Career Fields
Catherine Robertello, United States Air Force (retired) | Principal Technical Advisor
I joined the Air Force in 1978, when the Department of Defense opened many career fields for women. I didn’t know what logistics was then, but I, along with many other women who joined up at the time, learned and excelled in this field. We worked hard, rose through the ranks, and demonstrated that opening the career fields had been the right direction. We faithfully supported our nation, leading our units through many significant operations that pushed our military logistics systems to the limits. We connected with each other, learned from each other through our experiences, and joined forces to improve logistics processes. Many of us are still friends today, still connecting, and still serving our nation through companies like LMI. I am proud of where we started, how we broadened the path for young women to serve our nation, and how we are still contributing to our nation today.
Giving Back to My Community and Country
Beanca Thai, United States Army | Executive Assistant
Being a veteran means a lot to me. Escaping from Vietnam after the fall, my family arrived in the U.S. I’m first generation, born and raised in the U.S. My dad had been a paratrooper in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. After seeing my family’s struggles and successes, I decided to give back to my community and country, with the goal of earning a commission and becoming an officer in the U.S. Army.
After joining the Army, I found friends though the struggle of life and the demanding missions. Friends come and go, but we always find a way back to each other. I’ve learned from bad and good situations. My favorite leaders have meant a lot to me. At times, they gave me more than I thought I could handle but I pushed through to get it all done on time. These leaders let me find my passion and made me realize my goals.
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