I recently returned from a trip to Normandy and the D-Day sites. As I stood in the American Cemetery, which is on a cliff overlooking Omana Beach, and where 9,400 American soldiers are buried and died during the allied invasion on June 6, 1944, my emotional feeing was one of humility and gratitude. I was humbled by the knowledge that 153,000 allied soldiers crossed the English Channel that day to take on the German army, and grateful that these boys, mostly in their teens, died in the cause of freedom and to stop Hitler from his intent to take complete control of Europe and Great Britain. Many of these young soldiers were no more than 17 or 18 years old. They fought bravely and never had a chance to come home to their families, get married, have a family of their own or live a long life.
As we celebrate National Veterans Small Business Week on November 3-7, 2025, and Veterans Day on November 11th, I am grateful that I came home safely from my own military deployment in Vietnam, as well as for my family and my life. I am also grateful that I was given a job upon my return by John Quincy Adams IV for no other reason than I was a veteran, and thankful that I have now been able to give back to the veteran small business community by producing and teaching the VETRN program to provide veterans and service-disabled veterans with the education, tools, mentorship and professional resources they will need to become successful small business owners.
VETRN is now in its 12th year with many success stories and accolades from our graduates. Thank you to the SBA and the Office of Veteran Business Development (OVBD) for believing in our VETRN program and providing us with grant funding. Thank you also to our many sponsors, supporters, guest experts, panel judges, mentors and professional resources, all of whom have given generously of their time and expertise to assist these veterans along their journey to become successful small business owners.
If you are a veteran, National Guard or active-duty service member, thank you for your service and your sacrifice. If you are a veteran, National Guard or active-duty family member, hug those who served our country and thank them for their service. Also, thank you for supporting them and being there for them. Happy National Veterans Small Business Week and Veterans Day. We are all very appreciative of your service and sacrifice and wish you a long life and success.