7 Ways to Show Appreciation for the Veterans in Your Life

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Did you know that there are over 18 million veterans in the United States alone?

For those of us living in freedom, it’s safe to say that we owe this sense of freedom to our veterans. Today and throughout history, our veterans fought so that we don’t have to. As a result, we’re able to enjoy our daily lives in a country that celebrates freedom and diversity.

With this sense of freedom, we sometimes forget just how excruciatingly hard our veterans worked to get us here. Fortunately, there are actions we can take to help show our veterans just how much we appreciate their service.

While these actions may feel simple and straightforward by comparison, they contribute to showing our veterans how important they are to our country.

If you’ve been searching for ways to show appreciation for the veterans in your life, you’ve come to the right place. We’re highlighting the best ways to show your gratitude for everything that our veterans have done for us.

1. Attend a Veteran’s Event

One of the most simple ways to show your appreciation for veterans is by simply showing up.

Whether it’s a veteran’s day parade, the anniversary of a historical war or any calendar day, you can show your support by physically being present. This is a great opportunity to dedicate a moment of your day and show your appreciation for your veterans.

This may entail walking in a parade or simply showing up to clap your hands and show your appreciation.

2. Make a Donation

Of course, not all forms of showing appreciation to our veterans have to involve time and presence. On top of showing your support physically, you can also opt to show your support through a monetary donation.

Today, there are countless military-themed organizations that are operating throughout America. While these organizations do receive lots of support, they also count on the donations of civilians to continue their practice.

These organizations help to support veterans as well as current service members. This may be anything from supporting mental health to helping to pay for daily operations and medical bills of wounded soldiers.

Making a donation can be as simple as a one-time donation or a recurring monthly donation.

3. Proudly Hang Your Flag

If you want to find a way to show your support to veterans every single day of the year, why not proudly hang your flag?

In doing so, your neighboring veterans will have the privilege of witnessing your support each and every day. This is a simple yet always effective means of showing how much our veterans mean to us.

Remember, a flag doesn’t always have to be a typical, hang-on-the-flagpole type of flag. If you don’t have the privilege of having a place to hang a flag, don’t hesitate to get creative.

This is where having a bumper sticker, apparel or signage to show support to our veterans comes into play. These simple means of showing support to our veterans are sure to go a long way.

4. Talk to a Veteran

Sometimes, it’s the most simple things that can be the most significant.

By simply talking to a veteran about their service and asking questions, we are showing our gratitude. It shows that we are interested in learning more about their years of service and what experiences they had throughout the wars.

While there’s no denying that veterans have a multitude of painful memories of the war, many veterans also hold onto some good memories from the war. When discussing memories, remember to be courteous and respectful in your questions and considerations.

While the majority of veterans are men, 9 percent of the veteran population in America are women. With that said, remember to make a solid effort to converse with and learn more about the many female veterans. They played an incredibly strong role in the history of America and continue to do so today.

5. Opt for the Gift of Giving

Of course, one of the most simple means of showing your appreciation is through the gift of giving.

Whether it’s for Veteran’s day, a birthday or just any old day, a thoughtful gift is a wonderful way to show our gratitude. While shopping for a veteran may sometimes prove challenging, there are countless veteran-themed products and memorabilia available today.

Are you in need of some inspiration? These great ideas are the perfect gifts to show the veteran in your life how much you appreciate their service.

6. Visit the Gravesites of Veterans

Another meaningful way to pay tribute to our veterans is to pay a visit to the gravesites. This can be both local sites as well as more historically significant sites throughout the world.

In fact, planning a trip to a historically significant place is a great way to introduce children to the wars. Here, children can learn about history first-hand and gain an insightful introduction to the realities of what took place.

For civilians, this can also serve as a much-needed reminder as to how many veterans lost their lives in the name of freedom. While we may read about the number of lives lost, physically seeing the burial sites helps to put these numbers into perspective.

7. Learn More About Your History

At the end of the day, one of the best ways to honor our veterans is to simply learn the history.

In order to gain even a partial understanding as to what our veterans lived through, it’s essential to have an understanding of what happened in the first place. While we’ll never understand what it’s like to live in such grave conditions, we can do our part to learn about these experiences.

To learn more, this can be as simple as doing things such as:

  • Visiting wartime museums
  • Reading stories about the war
  • Reading biographies of veterans
  • Taking a history course
  • Speaking with veterans
  • Attending panel discussions

Ways to Show Appreciation: Veteran Edition

For some, showing appreciation for our veterans can feel complicated and uneasy.

This is because so many civilians feel that it’s impossible to show the level of gratitude and appreciation that our veterans truly deserve. After all, how can we show adequate appreciation to those that risked their own lives for the freedom of others?

While we can’t all replicate their greatness, there are simple yet significant actions we can take as ways to show appreciation to our veterans. These ideas are a great place to start. While sometimes simple, they help to express just how much our veterans mean to us every single day.

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Melissa Thompson

Melissa is a mother of 2, lives in Utah, and writes for a multitude of sites. She is currently the EIC of HarcourtHealth.com and writes about health, wellness, and business topics.