I lost my dad this year, and grief has a way of making you think about legacy—about what someone leaves behind and which pieces of them continue through you.

My dad wasn’t active duty, but he did serve in the reserves, and both of my grandfathers served on active duty. As I reflect on the qualities military service instills in people, I can’t help but recognize how many of those same virtues were passed down through my family—and ultimately passed on to me.

One of the greatest lessons I learned from my dad was loyalty and keeping your word.

My dad was incredibly loyal. If he told you he was going to do something, he did it. It didn’t matter if it became inconvenient, difficult or required sacrifice. His word meant something.

My mom shares those same qualities, and growing up with the two of them, I simply assumed everyone lived that way. As I got older, I realized that kind of loyalty and integrity isn’t something you can take for granted. It’s something you choose. And it’s something you practice.

My dad also taught me about discipline and doing hard things.

He was always on time. He honored his commitments. He understood that discipline isn’t simply about working hard—it’s also about being willing to say no to the things that don’t align with the commitments you’ve already made.

There is something incredibly powerful about knowing that when someone gives you their word, you can depend on it.

Maybe that’s part of why I’ve been thinking so much about the men and women who have served our country. Military service teaches virtues that don’t end when the uniform comes off: discipline, courage, loyalty, sacrifice, resilience and, perhaps most importantly, service to something bigger than ourselves.

Those qualities don’t stop with the person who serves, either.

They make their way into families. Into marriages. Into children and grandchildren. They influence how we show up for other people, how we handle adversity, how seriously we take our commitments and what we teach the next generation about character.

This year, I understand that a little differently.

Losing my dad has made me realize that legacy isn’t simply what someone accomplished during their lifetime. It’s what they taught us. It’s the standards they set. It’s the things we find ourselves doing years later because somewhere along the way, they showed us that was simply how you lived.

And sometimes, those lessons travel through generations without us even realizing it.

So this Veterans Day, I want to take a special moment to say thank you to every man and woman who has served our country—and to the families who have served alongside them.

Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed.

As the daughter of a veteran and the granddaughter of two veterans, I am especially grateful—not only for your service, but for the virtues that service has helped carry from one generation to the next.

Discipline. Courage. Loyalty. Sacrifice. Resilience. Service.

Those are powerful legacies to leave behind.

And Dad, thank you for passing so many of them on to me.

Your Neighbor,

Val Almanzar

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