Veterans Day 2011

We celebrate this Veterans Day for a very few minutes, a few seconds of silence, and then, this country’s life goes on. However, I think it most appropriate that we recall on this day the contribution and the sacrifice that so many men and women and their families have made to let this country survive as this democracy.

Today is for those who are forever lost to us – those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We mourn the loss of our family members, our friends, our heroes. We mourn the loss of those who have done so much to make this country great. The men and women we honor today were real people – sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, wives and husbands.

They were strong and vibrant.

They loved and were loved.

In addition, they are missed.

I ask we not only remember our fallen, but also, the forgotten soldiers among us – the less fortunate who have returned from service with much less, than they took along. A soldier’s pride makes it difficult to ask for help, but there is a host of organizations that HIMSS members work with that extends a helping hand to those veterans who might need it.

On this Veterans Day, I would like to take the opportunity to mention a couple of the Veterans Service Organizations that HIMSS corporate members have worked with the past year. Our HIMSS members have assisted the:

I will forever be grateful to all of you who have worked with my fellow veterans, their families, the veteran’s organizations and the veterans of whom they serve.

God Bless all of you and God Bless America.