Today we honor the men and women who have served in our armed forces.

Service asks for courage, discipline, and sacrifice, but it also requires something quieter and often overlooked: hope.

Hope that their efforts will protect others.

Hope that peace is possible, even when conflict says otherwise.

Hope that the world can move toward something better, one difficult step at a time.

Veterans remind us that hope is not soft or passive.

It's steady.

It's resilient.

It's the belief that the work is worth doing, even when the outcome isn't guaranteed.

Service is never just about duty.

It’s about believing in something bigger than yourself.

It’s about showing up even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.

It’s about trust, resilience, and choosing purpose over comfort.

That is hope in action.