Update: For Vets: The Veteran's Certificate Created for People in my Building Last Veteran's Day

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Monday May 28, 2012 · 9:55 AM PDT

2012/05/28 · 09:55

Last Veteran's Day a few of us held a "Veteran's Day Thank You" lunch for the building I live in. This would be the first time anyone held a celebration for veterans in this senior building. I created a document to formally thank them for their service. I want to share this document here to thank the veterans on DailyKos and their families.

The certificate was printed in color on premium paper, an off-white, thicker paper than I usually use on my printer. The upper and lower borders were lines of stars that contained the stars and stripes.

Near the bottom of the page, I included symbols for all branches of service side by side. Because we are a multicultural building, veterans from places like South Vietnam and South Korea asked if they could attend as well. They were then invited and received a similar certificate. As much as the certificate meant to U.S. veterans, it also meant a great deal to the older veterans of our allies.

All of the veterans were very moved and asked for copies for their children, which I provided. Many times in our lives, a simple recognition of service and a heartfelt "thank you" mean a great deal. I was very happy to have participated in this and intend to offer the lunch every year.

Here is the certificate's text:

Recognition of Service
Veteran’s Name, on behalf of a grateful nation and in recognition of the years you served your country with honor, we say “Thank You.”

It is said that no one desires or loves peace more than a soldier, because he or she must bear the burden of war. In this time of hopeful peace for us all, we remember your service. Mindful of the passing years we say to you that we remember, and we say thank you for your service to our country.

If any veteran or group would like to have a copy of the entire certificate, please email me and I will send it to you as an email attachment. If you would like me to print a copy with your name, I will send it to you by U.S. mail.

And to all the DailyKos veterans and their families, I say to you that I, and all of us here, will always remember you, and we all say "thank you."

As we thank you, we remember and keep in our hearts all of the fallen. This is Memorial Day weekend. It is well that we remember the fallen, and all those that came home again.

May we have total peace soon, where no one is placed in harm's way.

4:59 PM PT: Hi everyone. I forgot to add that I had written the POTUS and VPOTUS to ask for a letter of commendation. Joe Biden sent one to me, beautifully written, and a copy of that letter was also given to each veteran. I had specifically requested that he address the letter directly to the veterans of our building, so that each vet could know he was thanked personally.

This year I will request letters from each office as well. Perhaps I will also ask Leon Panetta.

As promised, posted for Memorial Day.

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