How To Thank A Veteran Today And All Year

Gratitude lands best when it’s specific, personal, and consistent. We open with a heartfelt salute from our host, an Air Force veteran, and move straight into practical ways to turn appreciation into action. Letters, postcards, and quick texts are the easy wins. Sharing a coffee and listening—really listening—to a veteran’s story builds trust without asking anyone to relive more than they want to share. Along the way, we map out how to help with everyday tasks, from rides and yard work to navigating forms that weigh on busy families.

Community steps make those personal gestures go further. We highlight where to volunteer, how to donate wisely to organizations like the USO and Wounded Warrior Project, and why school Q&As can teach the next generation about responsibility, sacrifice, and service without glorifying conflict. Economic support is front and center too: about 5.7% of U.S. businesses are veteran-owned, and choosing them strengthens neighborhoods while honoring service in a tangible way. Veterans also get a reminder to bring a military ID, DD-214, or veteran designation to access Veterans Day discounts and other perks.

History and recognition frame the conversation. November 11 marks the World War I armistice and a yearly moment to pause, raise the flag, and reflect. We also spotlight June 12, National Women Veterans Day, correcting a long record of overlooked contributions from women who have served from the Revolutionary War to today. The message is steady and clear: gratitude shouldn’t be confined to a calendar date—make it a habit. If you’re moved to act, send a note, support a veteran-owned business, volunteer an afternoon, or invite a veteran to speak at your school. Subscribe for more practical, human stories, share this episode with someone who cares, and leave a quick review to help others find us.

Chapters

• 5:39 Tribute From An Air Force Veteran
• 7:19 Simple Ways To Show Gratitude
• 9:11 Daily Appreciation Beyond November 11
• 10:41 Volunteer, Donate, And Support Orgs
• 12:31 Shop Veteran-Owned And Attend Events
• 14:21 History, Meaning, And Patriotism
• 16:01 Personal Journey And Military Life
• 17:01 Discounts, IDs, And Practical Perks
• 18:11 Women Veterans Day And Recognition
• 19:41 Thank You, Share Stories, Stay Connected

Transcript

Wondra: 2:50

Happy Veterans Day. Hello, I hope everyone is well. I am thrilled to give a tribute to the veterans. I am a United States Air Force Veteran and proud of it. The United States consists of the Army, Navy, the Air Force, Marines, Reserves, and the Coast Guard. I am your host, Wondra, and I love to share this topic with you. And I definitely love to see my brothers and sisters of the past, the present, and some future ones that I talk to. It is a tremendous honor. It is a lot to serve. If you notice or you've seen a veteran, consider writing them a letter, a postcard, and express the gratitude for their service on Veterans Day. You can send email me at support at wondraspenser.com. You can send letters and emails, and I will share them at upcoming episodes. If you don't know a veteran personally, you can consider contacting your nearest military installation and share a heartfelt message with them. Or you can even do it anonymously and spread a little gratitude for their service, and it can definitely brighten their day. So ways to honor our veterans with heartfelt gratitude. So near and dearest to us is Veterans Day. It is about the sacrifices that the military have served and still are serving. As a proud veteran, I feel deeply honored to take this opportunity to take to pay tribute to the brave men and women in uniform who have dedicated their lives to protecting our freedom. The importance of appreciation, every year on November 11, we acknowledge the end of the war to end all wars and a date that serves a reminder of sacrifices made by the veterans throughout history. But appreciation should not be confined to just one day, it should be daily in our lives. If you know a veteran, you can send them a quick phone call, a text message. It can definitely brighten their day, reinforce it, and share what it means to you. So if you're looking to honor a veteran, send them a personal letter, a care package, maybe a handwritten letter. If you know them, you can send them their favorite snacks, treat a veteran to a meal, sharing meals with the veteran can be meaningful. You can just have a conversation with them, say thank you for your service, listen to their stories, and ask them about their experiences, and they can share their story. If you can, you can help out in their homes, such as doing chores, you can make a significant appreciation for them, volunteer within your local organization, support veterans, and your time and skills can be inconsiderably impactful. You can donate to the veteran organizations a small contribution such as the Wounded Warrior Project or the USO. You can support veteran-owned businesses in your area, and this can really boost the economy and definitely honor their service. And you can attend local veterans' day events such as parades. You can invite them to share their story, speak at a school, and educate the next generation regarding sacrifice and service. And you can fly your favorite flag for you, the Air Force, the Army. It can be the Navy and the Marines, too. It can be a day of remembrance, show your respect, appreciate, appreciation, and you can take a moment of silence and reflection for the veterans and the ones who are not here with us. So let's take this day to express the gratitude, which is meaningful throughout the year. Every effort counts, whether you have a personal connection, you're in your community, which can help, or you just really want to honor that veteran, which will be awesome. So say thank you if you know a veteran. You can write them a letter, simply just say thank you, which can brighten their day, send a care package to them, treat them to a meal, it's just a cup of coffee, listen to their stories, help out with the household chores, such as a spare hour, vacuuming during the laundry, maybe mooring the lawns, which would be helpful. Just speak up to them and you know offer your service, your gratitude, and also volunteering locally. You can look for the local hospitals, charities, organizations. That time can be very meaningful. So donation, if you have a small or large donation, you can definitely give back. And at the schools, some schools offer different experiences, Q & A sessions, which is your your question and answer, and it can be about curiosity. So, do you know about 5.7 percent of the United States businesses are veteran-owned? So you can seek out these businesses and support them, not only your local community, definitely all throughout the world, and really think about attending the local veteran parade, which would be awesome to show your kids and take your family members, and it can be a way to honor the different veterans, and you can remember with heartfelt gestures, share stories, do a hashtag thank you veterans,, which can be done anytime. So, with 9-11, 1918, which is the end of the war to all wars, veteran day continues to be observed on 9-11, regardless of what day of the week it falls on. It can be historic day, focus the attention on the veterans, a celebration to honor Americans' veterans for the love of the country, the patriotism, the willingness to serve, and the sacrifice for the common good. the honor of serving is very fantastic, a chance to have a diverse group of individuals, it can be like a melting pot. I was a young girl from the Alabama area, really culturally shocked, and I loved it. The military will ensure that you grow up quickly and you have the responsibility. If you don't know, veterans have a ton of discounts with the restaurants, car washes, department stores, and more. Veterans, if you don't know, you can have your military ID, your DD 214, if you're in uniform or you have your veteran destination ID. Should check your local areas, get all your goodies, all everything that is allowed to you. And remember, on 9 on November 11th, you can limit your cooking at home, eat for free, and get to those discounted places. And did you know on June 12th is National Women's Veterans Day. It's a special day that shines a light on the service and the sacrifices of women veterans. Awesome. From the Revolutionary War to the present day, women have been part of the United States military, yet their contributions have been overlooked or undervalued. Thanks again to the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and the Coast Guard veterans for your service. And it's a pleasure serving with you. I would love to hear your stories. If you have any thoughts about honoring veterans, please send reflections to my email at support at wondraspencer.com. Together we can ensure veterans know they are valued and remember beyond the Veterans Day. In conclusion, you got this motivation from within, the inspire and drive store. You can subscribe on my YouTube channel with this podcast, Motivation al Fuel. Get a cup of coffee for your military bun buddies and your friends, and you can send it to them. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X LinkedIn, alignable at Wondra Spencer. I love to hear from you. And we will have some upcoming podcasts for this year. I know we talked about the veterans, so the next one is go for a ride. Test drive your dream car. Until next time, have a great day. Bye bye.