Today is Veterans Day (at least, in America, anyway) so I think it is appropriate for me to take a moment to express my deep appreciation for our men and women in uniform.

When I was in high school, I took the infamous ASVAB test–which was supposed to give an indication of what sorts of jobs you would have an aptitude for, especially in regard to joining the armed services. I honestly don’t remember how I scored–only that it must have been pretty good because I started getting all kinds of correspondence and phone calls from various recruiters. I didn’t really think much of it at the time–I knew that even if I did volunteer, with my various health issues (heart murmur, curvature of the spine, and bad ankles), they wouldn’t take me.

Even without the health issues, I wouldn’t have volunteered. Sure, as a kid I often fantasized about joining the Air Force and being a pilot. Or flying a helicopter in the Army. But, even as a teenager, I knew I didn’t have the ability nor the inclination to thrive in a military environment. Some people, a very special breed, do. I knew that I wasn’t that breed.

So I appreciate all that our veterans–those that have seen combat and those that have not–do every day. I know that I couldn’t do half of it, nor do it half as well. They are called upon to perform the ultimate service for their country. They serve the nation, not just whoever is in power at the moment.

And I am also thankful that we as a country are finally learning to appreciate all of our servicemen and women, allowing them to serve openly and with all the honor they deserve. So often, our armed forces are placed into situations in which the worst of humanity is on display and they must represent the best of us. We as a country can do no less for them.