We live in the greatest Nation in the world. We have many generations of veterans to thank for that. I have the great fortune to have David Black—a 30 year Army veteran—as my Deputy Commissioner. Working with David reminds me that selfless sacrifice and excellent leadership are often characteristics of veterans. Thus, I am pleased that so many veterans decide to continue their service by coming to work at SSA. Many of our employees have family members who are serving—we know you, too, make sacrifices and we thank you.

As the world grows ever smaller, we are exposed to more information about how our country compares to others. For me, these comparisons call to mind our freedom. Our veteran employees and the veterans who come to our agency for help ensure that this liberty continues for us and work to ensure that people in other parts of the world may also experience it. Please thank these heroes and treat them well.

I love this country and I am eternally grateful to our veterans. Have a safe holiday.

Tags: veterans