With all the excitement yesterday, we forgot to share our thoughts on Veterans Day for 2021.  This year, we thought it was an excellent time for a refresher course on the difference between the two federal holidays we celebrate honoring our great Military.

Veterans Day was first observed on November 11, 1919, as Armistice Day in honor of the first anniversary of the end of World War I, which officially ended on the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” in 1918. In 1938, it became a federal holiday. This day honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice to serve their country. San Antonio alone accounts for a quarter of the state’s active-duty population, and our Veteran residents place it ninth among the 100 largest cities in the country.

For me, both of these Military holidays are personal. I learned how to be a soldier in the U.S. Army, learned what it takes to be a Special Forces Green Beret, lead my men into battle and then deal with the reality of recovering from the improvised explosive device (IED) attack. Unfortunately, three of my teammates, who reported to me, were killed. While I battled through an extensive recovery process at Brooke Army Medical Center, an excruciating part of that recovery was knowing these men and their families paid the ultimate sacrifice to this nation.

For Veterans like me, Veterans Day is a day to celebrate and honor those who served, as well as their families, as both sacrifices so much when choosing to protect and honor our country through Military service. A day to put things in perspective and recognize the challenges, hardships and victories our great Military is known for. It reminds us what it means to fight and defend this country and that it is a responsibility shared by Veterans and those who support us.

This Veterans Day, I challenge everyone to focus their gratitude towards the Military and Veteran spouses and children. So often, while supporting their loved ones in uniform, the spouses and children endure the most hardship, as, without the unwavering support from the Military spouse and children, our nation's men and women in uniform would not be able to accomplish this their mission.

Memorial Day honors our fallen heroes that served in the line of duty. This holiday is observed on the last Monday of May. This somber day is a stark reminder to live life to the fullest for my fellow soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan in 2009. Bradley S. Bohle, Joshua M. Mills and Shawn P. McCloskey were all under the age of 33, fathers and husbands. This tragedy and so many others are the reason we honor the 19.6 million men and women who have served in the Military. Therefore, it is a particularly important day to remember our fallen brothers and sisters. Did you know that each year on Memorial Day, a national moment of remembrance occurs at 3 p.m. local time?

I have taken that pivotal day and focused on living the best life in their honor by serving others in real estate and have built an award-winning, top-producing firm. One of our missions at the Levi Rodgers Real Estate Group is to help our community learn about the men and women who sacrifice themselves, their families and often mental health to serve our country. Many of our staff and real estate agents are Veterans and in the U.S. Military Reserves. We take pride in knowing we help our colleagues transition out of Military life, which comes with its own set of stressors and life challenges. San Antonio is 100% Military city USA, and we are very honored and proud to be the leading experts in Texas Bet and VA Loan Real Estate here in San Antonio.

Like many Veterans, I found myself in need of a new career and livelihood. And more than that, I needed a new WHY-- a new purpose--something to focus on when survivor’s guilt took hold. But, it wasn't until I decided that the best thing I could do to honor my men and their families was to live the most amazing life possible. That’s when things turned around for me. I realized I needed to go live life!

But unfortunately, the suicide rate among Veterans in 2019 was 52% higher than non-Veteran adults in the U.S., according to the 2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. As part of ongoing efforts to combat this national crisis, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Ad Council recently launched a new national campaign: "Don't Wait. Reach Out." The public service advertisements encourage Veterans to reach out for help before their challenges become overwhelming, directing audiences to VA.gov/Reach, a new website with comprehensive resources for Veterans.

Another program to help our former service members is the Veteran Readiness and Employment program (Chapter 31). If you’re a Veteran or service member with a service-connected disability that impacts your ability to work, the Veteran Readiness and Employment program may be able to help. They offer five support-and-services tracks to help Veterans find and keep a job and live as independently as possible. For instance, they can match your existing skills to enhance your job search or guide you in developing a business plan to be self-employed.

As we celebrate our Veterans this year, let’s embrace this community that sacrifices so much for us to live in a free nation.

We have a saying at LRG, and it’s “With Us, You Win. Our team is composed of many Veterans, and we think that a part of our success is due to our strong Veteran presence. In the Military you’re taught how to be solution minded, that putting in the work will allow you to win in the most respectable way possible. We apply that mantra to our agents and that’s why our team will prove we offer the best service, guidance and expertise in the market.

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If you or anyone you know is interested in purchasing a home, we have a solid team of experts who help our clients win. Our agents work hard throughout Texas, from San Antonio to Austin, and Fort Hood, Texas. We offer the service, guidance and expertise to help you buy or sell a home today!  

Give us a call seven days a week to purchase or sell a home, or simply talk and let us answer your questions. We are available from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day! Office: 210-331-7000;  Text: 210-801-9115