John --

After the attacks on September 11, 2001, I signed up to serve our country as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves.

When I took the oath of commission, I swore to support and defend our Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

As a family, we didn’t exactly know what we were signing up for -- and I mean we, because when someone serves, their family does, too.

By the time I got through the basic course, we weren’t only chasing the bad guys in Afghanistan, we were in Iraq, too. So I served three active duty tours -- at Fort Bragg, in Iraq, and in Afghanistan.

That is why protecting the military readiness of our troops is so personal to me. It’s why making sure our veterans are supported and met with open arms when they return home is personal to me. It’s why supporting veterans’ mental health care is personal to me. And it’s why ensuring that military families are supported is so personal to me.

I know the impact that decisions about our military and veterans have -- because my family and I have lived them.

There can be no excuses when it comes to fighting for the well-being of our servicemembers, veterans, and military families. Today, I hope you’ll join me in taking a moment to thank those who’ve served and acknowledge the sacrifices so many have made in protecting this country -- and the character it represents.

Thanks for all you do.

— Cal