To veterans, people will extend a heart-warming “thank you for what you do.” If I could speak for the veterans at Tuck, let me say, “Thank you, Tuck, for what you do.” Tuck has put patriotism into action by generously participating in the Yellow Ribbon program and aggressively seeking out veterans to be a part of the Tuck community. We are honored to be a part of the Tuck fabric. So, as we would feel in the military, we hope we don’t let you down.
"Love cannot remain by itself—it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action and that action is service."
—Mother Teresa
People often think that veterans have a unique quality that others don’t. Service is animated by virtues such as courage, integrity, and loyalty. But to look at the root of service, it is love. Love is the fulcrum upon which we decided to serve—love for our country, our communities, and our families. This type of love gave us the courage to fight against hostility and fear. It is at the heart of the belief that our children, friends, and family are the touchstone of value.
Upon leaving the military, we left a behind a unique lifestyle, which challenged all of us to be better human beings and to better the lives of those around us. Service is not something that we left behind when we came to Tuck, rather it is the very reason why we came to Tuck. We rally behind the sacred duty to better the world of business, and what a better place to do that than at Tuck? At Tuck we are impressed by the diversity of the community, but more importantly, we are impressed by the closeness of our goals and common concern for our world.
The military gave us the opportunity to be a part of something greater than ourselves. The military exposed us to turbulence and struggle, which has been a crucible in human history. Sadly, we will not see the end of violence, injustice, or ignorance, but we should let that be a reason why we are here at Tuck—to fight the illusion of differences, which lead to injustice and oppression. As veterans we are excited to join something greater than ourselves once again. Tuck allows us to join in the shared determination to improve people’s lives. We all hope to serve as a source of strength and inspiration for our Tuck community.
We would be remiss to not mention our fallen brothers and sisters. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families. Yet, we must put our thoughts and prayers into action, just as we put our love of country into action. Veterans Day offers a reminder that our freedom and security come at a cost. We remember those who fell, and for some of us, we were with them when they fell. We say this not to impose an experience, which does not confront everyone, yet, we say this to impose a sense of duty to remain vigilant in virtues of love and goodwill. The veteran will tell you, greater than the danger of the bullet or the bomb is the danger of timidity over courage, ignorance over wisdom, and apathy over empathy. We are proud to serve, and we are proud that our service can emanate from Tuck. We are humbled to be a part of such a great community of talented and diverse people. Let us take a moment to remember, and then let us unite and march forward toward fruitful progress and a better future.
—The Tuck Armed Forces Alumni Association
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