To put it mildly, this has been a difficult year.  Despite all of the discord and uncertainty, however, it is important to take a moment to remember that it is because of veterans that we are able to express our thoughts and emotions freely, have meaningful debates on vital issues, strive for positive change, and exercise our rights as Americans.  In the words of President Biden, “For generations, millions of Americans have answered the call to serve — taking the sacred oath to defend and preserve our Nation’s ideals of liberty and democracy.  These patriots represent the best of us.  On Veterans Day, we honor their service, dedication, and valor and are forever grateful for their sacrifice.”

As Governor Lamont said, “There are nearly 280,000 veterans of the United States Armed Forces who call Connecticut home, and we are indebted to the sacrifices they have made in their lives in order to protect and serve our great country.”  In the words of Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, “There will never be enough words or the right words to express the gratitude we feel toward our Connecticut veterans. . . . Every day, we should take the opportunity to thank those who served, not just on Veteran’s Day. It’s important to remember that we are able to enjoy the freedoms we have today because of their courage, their bravery, and their sacrifice.”

This week, please take a moment to thank all of our veterans for their service. Learn about why we celebrate Veterans Day on November 11, how you can volunteer to help veterans in your neighborhood, how you can get involved with UConn Law’s VALOR (Veterans and Armed Forces Legal Out Reach) Society, or how UConn supports veterans and their families.

At the library this week, we asked our patrons to honor individual veterans by adding their names to our display. The UConn Law Library, along with UConn students, faculty, and staff, thanks all of our veterans for their courageous service.