Veterans Day reminds us what service means

On Veterans Day, I want to say thank you to all the veterans who have served our country. The United States is safe today because you put the country over yourself, and I want you to know how much America appreciates your service.

Today, I’m reminded of when I met with Vietnam veterans at the local VFW in Brighton. Many from that crowd don’t speak much about their service; neither their time in-country nor their homecoming was easy. But they still show up for their communities, and they need to know their country is so proud of them.

Decades after they served, I raised my right hand and swore an oath to defend the Constitution. I became a Navy SEAL, served under presidents of both parties, and deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and the Pacific. And in all those years, none of my buddies ever asked what political party I belonged to. What mattered was the mission and the team beside me.

In the SEAL Teams, we have a saying: Team, platoon, buddy, self. That’s the order of what matters. Every role – the mechanic who fixes the vehicles, the logistician who makes sure we have the right gear, the cooks who keep us fed and healthy – is just as important as the next to keep the team functioning. You can have the best-trained combat soldier in the world, but the mission fails if even one link in that chain breaks.

That team-first mindset is exactly what’s missing in Washington today. Too many leaders serve their party, their donors, or themselves instead of the American people. Politicians use their power to reward their friends rather than solve problems. Members of Congress chase headlines instead of results. They’ve forgotten who they’re there to serve: the American people.

In the military, you don’t get to pick your team. You show up, put the mission first, and get to work. That’s how the government should operate, too. When the overwhelming majority of Americans say costs, and in particular health care costs, are crushing them, our leaders should listen and act. That’s not partisan; that’s pure service.

Service doesn’t end when the uniform comes off. I’ve seen veterans come home and keep serving – as teachers, small-business owners, coaches, and community volunteers. My wife, Laura, was a Navy helicopter pilot; we met during POW survival training. We’re trying to raise our two boys with that same spirit of service, with a heavy helping of grit and teamwork.

For me, my service continues by running for Congress in Michigan’s 7th District. Our country needs leaders who will put duty to the American people over politics, country over personal ambition, and teamwork over finger pointing. We need to find a way to get shit done.

This Veterans Day, I’m grateful to everyone who answered America’s call. The mission isn’t over, it’s just changed. Our country still needs us to listen, lead with integrity, to put the team first, and to continue building a nation worthy of the oath we swore to defend.