This November, we proudly observe Military Family Appreciation Month and Veterans Day, two opportunities to honor the courage and sacrifice of Iowa’s brave military members and their families.

Veterans Day recognizes the dedication and sacrifice of our nation’s brave men and women who put it all on the line to maintain our freedom and peace. What began as Armistice Day, more than a century ago, paying tribute to those who fought in World War I, has endured and evolved into a day that pays homage to current military members and veterans of all wars.

The first Armistice Day was proclaimed on November 11, 1919 by then-President Woodrow Wilson. “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the council of nations..”. It was recognized with parades, public recognitions, and suspension of business.

I am honored to have descended from several brave individuals who gave their all to defend this nation. From fighting in the Ohio Infantry during the Civil War, serving in Cuba during the Spanish American War, and defending democracy and freedom in the Army during World War II, I could not be prouder to claim them as family.

And many of my fellow Iowans have descended from the strong men and women who have stepped up to serve our great nation. Iowa has a history of stepping up. At least 41 veterans of the Revolution are buried in Iowa. More than 1,000 Iowans bore arms in the Mexican War, 76,000 in the Civil War, and 5,600 in the Spanish-American War. In World War I and World War II, over 375,000 served. We saw 85,000 serve in the Korean War, 115,000 in the Vietnam War, 3,000 in the Persian Gulf War. And more recently, more than 3,000 brave Iowa men and women served in Operation Desert Storm and around 20,000 Iowans bore arms in the War on Terrorism. Currently, Iowa has nearly 2,000 Iowa National Guard and 1,800 Iowa Reserves members deployed, actively serving our nation. Our thoughts are with these brave individuals and their families as they work to protect our freedom.

As we pause on this day, contemplating the history of our nation and giving thanks to all the brave soldiers who have served our country, I encourage you to reach out to a veteran or military member in your life and thank them for their service. A simple gesture, a phone call, a message, or a heartfelt conversation can mean the world to someone who has sacrificed so much.

I also invite you to visit the ‘Honor a Veteran’ page on sos.iowa.gov, where you can leave a tribute to a veteran who has made a difference in your life. Since its inception in 2012, this initiative has collected over 9,500 tributes.

As part of this initiative, we encourage eligible Iowa voters to not only honor a veteran, but to honor them with your vote. Participating in our elections process and exercising your fundamental right to vote is a beautiful way to honor those who have fought for our nation and protected these fundamental rights.

Thank you again to the brave men and women. We can never thank you enough for your sacrifice.

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Republican Paul Pate serves as Iowa’s Secretary of State.