Veterans Day 2018

Dear Friends,

Today is Veterans Day. A day when we commemorate our brave servicemen and women for their courageous service.

I came across a poem by Cheryl Dyson, it’s a beautiful poem in honor of our nation’s heroes:

On Veterans Day we honor all

Who answered to a service call

Soldiers young, and soldiers old

Fought for freedom, brave and bold

Some have lived, while others died

And all of them deserve our pride

We’re proud of all the soldiers who

Kept thinking of red, white and blue

They fought for us and all our rights

They fought through many days and nights

And though we may not know each name

We thank ALL veterans just the same

If you meet a Veteran, please take the time to thank them and hear their story. For many of our heroes in uniform, the battle doesn’t end after they return home. Some veterans suffer from PTSD and homelessness – let’s do our best to support our heroes in uniform. Whether that’s through sending care packages, volunteering, or just saying thank you in person, we can all work together to appreciate our nation’s servicemen and women. Let’s make a promise to thank our brave soldiers, not just on Veterans Day, but every day!

Thank you for supporting our soldiers; may God Bless you and your family and may God bless and protect our soldiers and their families!

Jonathan A. Lu

Memorial Day 2018

Dear Friends,

Today is Memorial Day. It’s a day when many Americans take time to reflect on the sacrifices made by our brave soldiers who laid down their lives to protect our country.

Laying down your life for others. As a civilian, it’s hard to imagine the amount of bravery and selflessness it takes to make such a great sacrifice. It’s one of the many things that we admire about servicemen and women. That they have the courage, patriotism, and selflessness to put themselves in the line of fire to protect others. Every day, our servicemen and women lay down their lives for people that they might not even know and may never meet. People who might not even be aware of their sacrifice. People who might have never stopped and said thank you.

Memorial Day is a day that reminds us just how amazing our servicemen and women are. They sacrifice themselves for people like you and me, and they never ask for anything in return. No recognition, not even a thank you.

A friend of mine shared a heart-warming story about a WW2 Army Veteran and Medal of Honor Recipient. His name is Bill Crawford, and he worked as a squadron janitor at the US Air Force Academy during the 1970s. Mr. Crawford worked diligently, keeping the entire dormitory spotless. He did his job diligently and with honor. Unfortunately, due to his humble position, many people overlooked him.

This all changed when one cadet found out that Mr. Crawford, was in-fact a WW2 Army veteran who received the Medal of Honor. After this discovery, all the cadets took the time to say hi to Mr. Crawford. They even began to invite Mr. Crawford to formal squadron functions.

One cadet asked Mr. Crawford why he didn’t mention receiving a Medal of Honor. In response, Mr. Crawford said: “That was one day in my life and it happened a long time ago.”

Mr. Crawford was a silent hero. He didn’t ask for recognition, he never even mentioned his valiant service.

This story reminds us that there are unsung heroes among us. They might be a neighbor, an acquaintance, maybe even your janitor. Keep an eye out for these heroes among us. Let’s honor the example of Mr. Crawford by treating everyone with respect, and by thanking and supporting our brave servicemen and women.

God Bless,

Jonathan A. Lu

Here's a link to the full story of Mr. Crawford: 

http://www.homeofheroes.com/profiles/profiles_crawford_10lessons.html