Today is Veterans Day. On behalf of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, I share gratitude for the students, faculty and staff members and alumni who have served and continue to serve. UWO is here to honor and support military veterans through life-changing education. Thank you to everyone who makes this a part of their daily purpose.

A year ago, who could have imagined the ways we would rely on members of our military in the months that followed?

The Army National Guard continues to support COVID-19 testing in one of the purest demonstrations of service and citizenship. On Nov. 9, the National Guard reported Wisconsin citizen-soldiers have collected more than 800,000 COVID-19 test samples in support of the Wisconsin Department of Health Service pandemic response. That is remarkable and just one example of the safety and security military veterans of all branches have fostered at home and around the globe. We thank the UWO community members who, while juggling studies, jobs and care for their families in unsteady times, still have the stuff to help heal and protect us.

Take a moment today to also recognize the unity that veterans embody. Their stories and sacrifices represent a common, resilient thread in the nation’s tapestry. Veterans are a connection between millions of families spanning the spectra of politics, geography and human experience. They epitomize a goodness and oneness that runs far deeper than our divisions.

This post was originally sent via email to UWO students, faculty and staff on November 11, 2020.