Today, much of the western world commemorates the sacrifices citizens made to keep it free. Whether you call it Veteran’s, Armistice, or Remembrance, it’s a day for reflection and gratitude.

I plan to go to a small ceremony at Memorial Square here in downtown Annapolis, Md., blocks from the U.S. Naval Academy.

Brandon is a guest of honor at the opening of a new veterans exhibit at the National September 11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan. Sponsored by Google for Veterans, the exhibit shares the disparate stories of veterans who answered the call that day and in the months, and years, to follow; tracking their journeys using Google’s Tour Builder tool. I encourage you to visit the exhibit online if you can’t make down to the memorial site.

To my brothers and sisters in service, I thank you for your service knowing full well how uncomfortable many of us get when we hear that.

Not because we’re ungrateful or self-deprecating about what we do, or did.

Only because it’s odd to be thanked for doing something it was entirely our honor and privilege to have done.

Oh, and I almost forgot; Happy Birthday, Marine Corps. OOH-RA!

– Paul