On this Veterans Day, our union expresses deep respect and reverence for the service members across the country who answered the call to serve our nation.
We honor the sacrifices they made in service. We honor those who came home, those who are still serving, as well as those we have lost. And we carry forward the values they lived – duty, dignity, solidarity, and service.
Our nation’s veterans perform one of the ultimate acts of public service, giving their strength and years of their lives for our safety and freedom. And for many, it doesn’t stop there. Having served their country, they continue that selfless service here at home. They are the educators teaching in classrooms across our state. Nurses caring for patients in our hospitals. State workers and higher education faculty showing up every day for the people and communities we serve.
It’s important we recognize them – those who, in ways few can understand, dedicate their lives to their communities and their country. To our AFT Maryland veterans, we are truly thankful for your service.
In truth, public service – whether in uniform or in a classroom, a clinic, or a government office – comes from the same place. We don't all selflessly lay our lives on the line in far-away places, but in like manner, we commit to something bigger than ourselves. We recognize that our country's strength depends on the people who choose to stand for it, in whatever form that service takes. That solidarity, as practiced by our veterans and in the labor movement, remains a guiding light everyday.
Happy Veterans Day.
In Solidarity,
Kenya Campbell
President, AFT Maryland
Vice President, American Federation of Teachers
