On Thursday, Nov. 11, Americans everywhere will give pause on Veterans Day to honor our men and women who served this nation, who have gone forth and sacrificed their bodies, minds, and spirits to secure the liberties we often take for granted.

Those who are motivated by a commitment to service don’t often ask for thanks. As a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, I know that from experience. Most of our armed forces consider it a privilege and an honor to serve, as I did.

The selfless commitment to service that our armed forces give to us is what inspires a grateful nation, and what motivates us in our celebration of Veterans Day.

Gratitude is a word that we should all spend time ruminating on. We should endeavor to be grateful for the blessings that we are given, and for the freedom that we have to enjoy those blessings. At its core, Veterans Day is a day for celebrating service and for practicing the act of gratitude.

I believe that we live each day here at the VA (Veterans Affairs) practicing gratitude to our veterans in tangible ways by providing safe, compassionate, quality care for the physical and mental health of the men and women who have worn the cloth of our nation.

COVID-19 was an obstacle for us this last year. And yet, through our constant readiness and resiliency, we were able to change our model of care and adapt to the situation as it evolved. We spent the last year having to fly the plane while we were building it, but truthfully, I have seen my staff rise to the occasion in a way I never thought possible. Through telehealth and outreach events, we have managed to keep a consistent level of care even as we shifted our entire approach to accessing patients.

Martin Luther King Jr. said: “If you can’t fly then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving.”

Many of us felt at the beginning of this pandemic as though we might have to crawl to get ahead, but in the end we soared. We have vaccinated more than 13,000 veterans and staff against the virus, and had more than 371,198 outpatient visits in spite of the obstacles we sometimes had to overcome that prevented face-to-face care.

In addition, our new VA Windward clinic will open in Adventist Health Castle Medical Center in Kaneohe, and construction will begin on our new Kapolei ALOHA clinic next to Costco by the end of this year. This multispecialty clinic will be opening in 2023.

I know that we will do just as well next year in continuing our commitment to provide care and community to our veterans. America is home to one of the most diverse populations on Earth, and sometimes it can feel like we all have different opinions and philosophies on the events of the day. Yet, on Veterans Day, we come together to realize that when it matters, Americans are united in our purpose and in our ideals. We are one nation, bound by a Constitution and a Bill of Rights, and we all honor our veterans and their commitment to protect and defend our country.

I don’t just want to speak to VA employees and to our veterans today. I want to speak to all people, because I have a call to service that I want to give to the members of our community. Many service members have put their bodies and minds on the line and were part of a military culture that put mission before self. Because of this, some veterans require an extra push to get the care they need and deserve.

If you know someone who served and who is not registered with the VA, I ask that you reach out to them and give them the nudge they need to sign up. Veterans who have not applied for VA health care can call 1-800-214-1306 or visit www.hawaii.va.gov to apply for VA health benefits. It may be the most important thing they do to assure their continued health and well-being.

Thank you for your service, or as we say here in the islands — mahalo nui loa.

Adam M. Robinson, Jr., M.D., MBA, CPE, is director of the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System.