What Memorial Day means to me

My father, both grandfathers, and three of my four uncles served our nation in combat zones around the world: World War 2, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq... I never served myself, and I've spent a lot of time thinking about how civilians like myself can support our veterans in a way more meaningful than a handshake and saying, "Thank you for your service."

These thoughts surfaced after I read a CNN op-ed piece by SSgt. Luke Murphy (Ret.) called "What veterans really think about on Memorial Day." It's humbling, particularly this part:

Memorial Day is supposed to remind Americans what other people have sacrificed for them. But sometimes, I think nobody's paying attention.
They're too self-absorbed.
If they really wanted to show respect for veterans, and the price they paid, they'd attend a service to hear somebody speak. If they felt moved, maybe they'd go to a website like Homes for Our Troops and make a donation. Or find a nonprofit that takes care of the fallen service members' families, like Gold Star organizations.  It's not fun to think about, but people ought to think about it anyway.

I wanted to take a few minutes to give the DK Hardware family additional ideas on ways we can honor our veterans.

Business owners

A large number of you are owners or senior managers of small/medium businesses. There are lots of ways you can help!

Interview and hire veterans

Throughout my professional career, I've conducted hundreds of interviews and hired dozens. To date, I've never been disappointed by a veteran's performance on the job. In fact, of the 5 most successful hires of all time, two were veterans.
I strongly encourage you to encourage veterans to apply to any job openings you have. Even those who've never held a civvy job before have incredible reserves of dedication, grit, determination, and adaptability that are nearly impossible to find.
Specifically, I think of a young Marine machine-gunner I hired. In his first job in the "real world," he had it tough: cold-calling businesses and pitching services they'd never heard of. After one particularly harrowing call, he hung up the phone, looked over at me, smiled, and said, "Better than getting shot at!" Then he picked up the phone and started dialling.

Discount programs for veterans

This is a fairly simple and straightforward method of building your business and attracting loyal customers. Simply request a copy of a military ID and offer a flat-rate discount. Simple and easy.
Ecommerce companies and businesses that ship items to their customers may run into some issues with the military's slightly odd postal addresses, which tend to look something like this:

LT Jim Bascomb
1st Cav Div C Co 2nd Plt
Camp Victory
APO AE 96338

Everyone

You don't have to be a business owner to support veterans! Here are a few ideas any of us can use in our daily lives.

Support veterans' organizations

SSgt Murphy mentions two specific organizations:  Homes for Our Troops and Gold Star organizations. If you're uncertain about a specific non-profit, use CharityNavigator to research their effectiveness.

Support veteran-owned businesses

Use the Veteran Owned Business project as a starting point whenever you're in search of a local goods or services provider.

Observe a moment of silence this Memorial Day

Take a time-out from the games, the barbeque, and the shopping and turn your thoughts to the tens of thousands of brave men and women who serve our country every day.