Welcome to Veteran Quotes, a compilation of poignant and inspiring words spoken by veterans from various walks of life. Veterans, individuals who have served their country in the military, often possess a unique perspective shaped by their experiences on the battlefield, in training, and during times of service. These quotes encapsulate the bravery, sacrifice, and resilience that define the veteran community, offering profound insights into the challenges they have faced and the values they hold dear.
From ancient warriors to modern-day heroes, the voices of veterans echo through history, reminding us of the unwavering dedication and unwavering commitment to duty that characterize their service. Whether reflecting on the camaraderie forged in the heat of battle or the solemnity of remembrance for fallen comrades, these quotes serve as a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who have served their nations. As we delve into the words of veterans past and present, we gain a deeper understanding of the profound impact of military service and the enduring legacy it leaves on individuals and societies alike. Below, you’ll find a collection of quotes on this topic, each offering a glimpse into the hearts and minds of those who have served.
Veteran print editors and reporters at places like the ‘Times’ and ‘The New Yorker’ manage to feed and clothe their families without costing their companies a million bucks a month, and they produce a great deal more valuable reporting and analysis than the network news stars do. Eric Alterman
As a former veteran, I understand the needs of veterans, and have been clear – we will work together, stand together with the Administration, but we will also question their policies when they shortchange veterans and military retirees. Solomon Ortiz
As a father, small businessman, Navy intelligence veteran, and co-founder of a public charter school, I’m ready to bring common-sense solutions to how we move America in a better direction. Ryan Frazier
When I was young, my dad, a veteran who attended college on the GI Bill, lost his job at age 55 when the company he worked for was sold. My entire family pitched in – my mom took in sewing, and I got a minimum wage job after school. Tammy Duckworth
A homeless veteran should not have to stand at a freeway exit with a cardboard sign. That’s not okay. Joe Walsh
I was counsel on the full veterans committee, the first Vietnam veteran to serve as a full-committee counsel in Congress. It stunned me that there was a 600,000-case backlog of claims. During my time in the Senate, it became 900,000. Jim Webb
A lot of these teams really forget that part of success comes with having veteran leadership. You see a lot of teams forget that and start letting go of these old veterans. They don’t realize how important it is to have a veteran voice in your locker room or on the bench. It’s important to have guys who have been there before. David Robinson
I am a veteran of the War on Christmas. I am just emerging from a battlefield strewn with dead trees and torn shreds of brightly colored wrapping paper. Henry Rollins
My father was a veteran. He fought in World War II. He was a patriot. On the other hand, he had no illusions whatsoever about how Uncle Sam had mistreated him and other black soldiers. John Edgar Wideman
As a veteran, I am always appreciative when filmmakers bring to the screen stories of those who have served. Wes Studi
There’s a lot of veteran players that, honestly, being comfortable where they play is more important. And that’s just not me. Andrew Whitworth
I was an Army intelligence agent and a veteran during the Cold War, assigned to West Germany. I was the chairman of the National Commission on Homeland Security and Terrorism for the United States for five years. I was a person who has dealt extensively with these homeland security issues. I was a governor during the 9/11 attack. Jim Gilmore
Veteran performers are dying off, and new acts simply aren’t emerging on the national scene. Brian Setzer
No veteran should have to wait for claims. If there’s anybody impatient here, I am that individual. Eric Shinseki
When an American veteran comes to VA, it is not up to him to employ a team of lawyers to get VA to say yes. It is up to VA to get the veteran to yes, and that is customer service. Robert Wilkie
As a veteran of the diet wars, I think it’s time to call a truce. Rather than hear experts argue, most people want practical information they can use. Dean Ornish
I have a band that I started with a buddy of mine, a Vietnam veteran pal named Kimo Williams from Chicago. Gary Sinise
I was a veteran, before I was a teenager. Michael Jackson
I’m hesitant to ever take on the crest of the veteran. So I don’t know who I am to warn the younger writer about the perils to come. I think maybe the most dangerous influence is to think you have all the answers and should be giving counsel. Rachel Kushner
Finding gainful employment to pay for housing is hard for any veteran experiencing homelessness. It’s even more difficult for veterans who’ve also had encounters with police and stints in jail. Chris Gardner
I’m a big veteran of being able to, in one comic, explain to you everything that you need to know to get forward in the story without you having to refer back to years of continuity and a universe in these superhero comics. Mark Waid
On the local, state and federal level, government is working alongside veteran’s organizations and other stakeholders to provide services such as medical assistance, employment resources, and housing support to veterans and their dependents and survivors. But there are still gaps in services that must be rectified. Letitia James
For the record, I’m a Second World War veteran and served in the Pacific. Gore Vidal
The Veteran’s History Project, a nationwide volunteer effort to collect oral histories from America’s war veterans, provides an avenue to do just that. Now in its fifth year, the Project has collected more than 40,000 individual stories. Spencer Bachus
In 1949, I saw a World War II veteran named Lou Brissie, who had nearly lost a lower leg in combat, pitch in the All-Star Game in Brooklyn. George Vecsey
By interviewing at least one veteran, you can preserve memories that otherwise might be lost. My uncle was a downed fighter pilot and P.O.W. in World War II, and I am looking forward to recording his story for inclusion in the project. Spencer Bachus
My father was a veteran and my mother a schoolteacher. They taught me the value of a good job and an honest day’s work. Stephen Pagliuca
Demian Maia, he’s a legend. He’s a veteran in the game. He knows how to fight. He’s been through so many five-round fights. He’s headlined a lot of cards, fought Anderson Silva for the title, fought Tyron Woodley for the title. He’s a veteran, he knows how to fight, and he’s always training. He’s a jiu-jitsu wizard. Kamaru Usman
It turns out that the term ‘diversity’ can be anything from black faculty to military veterans. Well, I am both, but have yet to be subjected to discrimination because I’m a veteran. Carl Hart
There’s no better citizen than a veteran. There’s so much waiting for you outside, and it’s not something to be intimidated by or scared by; it is something to be embraced. Rob Riggle
I grew up in southwest Iowa, on a farm north of Stanton, Iowa, which is a tiny little town, a farming community. I went to Iowa State University and joined Army ROTC while I was there and just have had such a phenomenal life. I am a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Joni Ernst
There’s a tradition in war writing that the veteran goes over and sees the truth of war and comes back. And I’m skeptical of that. Phil Klay
My father was career military. He was a veteran, he was a doctor of political science, he taught at West Point and Air Command Staff and lectured at the War College. Suzanne Collins
Home field advantage can be overrated in the NFL because veteran players aren’t bothered by it. Home-field advantage is a bigger deal in college. Colin Cowherd
A veteran deserves the very best health care anywhere. That means sometimes, they should go out into the private sector if something’s being done better than the VA. David Shulkin
There are no lazy veteran lion hunters. Norman Ralph Augustine
I’ve been described as a grizzled political veteran. Joe Klein
I want you to say ‘Never Forget’ because when you say ‘Never Forget’ you’re thanking that veteran in a different way. You’re allowing them to be thankful for the idea for the fact that as an American you’re in it with them. We’re in it together and we don’t forget together. Dan Crenshaw
I’ve been working professionally as an actor since I was 20. That’s going to be 25 years soon. So, that’s a veteran. That’s a big-time veteran. I’ve had some great successes, and I’ve had some not-successes. Michael Imperioli
Congress created tax-exempt 501(c)(4)s to operate exclusively for social welfare purposes like early childhood education, environmental protection, and veteran’s assistance. However, an IRS regulation allows 501(c)(4)s to operate primarily for the promotion of social welfare. Michelle Lujan Grisham
There’s a beautiful thing about experience. There’s a beautiful thing about veteran smarts, but there’s also a beautiful thing about youth and the potential that creates down the road. Anne Donovan
I would not call myself a veteran conspiracy theorist. Or an obsessed one. I pretty much peaked on the whole conspiracy theory thing in the ’60s, with the grassy knoll, who really killed JFK, and who ordered the hit on Lee Harvey Oswald. Patti Davis
Madison Square Garden, November 1984. I don’t recall taking too much fear into the ring. I knew I could fight. But I got a big shock. They put me in with this rough, tough veteran called Lionel Byarm. He tested me to the limit. But I fought my heart out and, in the end, I prevailed. The story of my life, in my very first fight. Evander Holyfield
No veteran or active duty service member should endure a long hospital stay alone. Yet sadly, due to the high cost of travel, all too often our military families are separated while America’s heroes receive care. Sometimes families sleep in hospital parking lots, unable to afford long stays in a hotel. John Delaney
More importantly, if you are in a position to hire, hire a veteran. They will be the best employees you have. Eric Shinseki
It’s not a straight line to do anything breaking the law. Because if it is, basically you’re saying if I cop to having PTSD, I can go out and slap somebody around all I want, and when the cops show up, I can claim I am a veteran, and I got PTSD – that’s not how that works. Marcus Luttrell
As we face an epidemic of veteran suicides, we must make sure that all of our returning servicemembers are honored and taken care of, no matter the wounds they bear. Ron DeSantis
Because of the changes in the Padres team I played with last year, I felt like a veteran recently when I worked out with Jason Kendall and he told me he’s liked listening to my records since he was a kid! Garth Brooks
As a combat veteran, I know the cost of war. Tulsi Gabbard
I am a West Point graduate and an Army veteran. Mike Pompeo
Karl Malone used a lot of veteran stuff that I thought was cool. Charles Barkley taught me a lot when I played against him. How he would use his body or use his dribble to get people in there and all that stuff. Veteran moves. Tim Duncan
I’m a Vietnam veteran. I was here when there was no public support, not just for the effort in Vietnam, for the mission in Vietnam, but for our men and women in uniform. Michael Mullen
I learn something every time I go to work with a veteran. Every single time. Mary Gauthier
Yeah, but you need an experienced radio veteran who is a liberal advocate. And there just hadn’t been any radio that did that. And so they weren’t trained – they had developed all these bad habits of being objective and balanced and stuff like that. Al Franken
It is a privilege that women fancy me, but I cannot sustain the chocolate boy image forever. I don’t want to end up being known, like the late veteran Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan was, as the king of romance. R. Madhavan
On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind. As a nation, let it be our pledge that when they return home, we leave no veteran behind. Dan Lipinski
Some useful advice for all of my Asian-American brothers and sisters – never go paint-balling with a Vietnam veteran. Ali Wong
Postpartum depression is a very real and very serious problem for many mothers. It can happen to a first time mom or a veteran mother. It can occur a few days… or a few months after childbirth. Richard J. Codey
As a 10-year veteran of the NFL, I had a unique perspective weekly to see the heartfelt commitment of the fan. Regardless of years of disappointing and winless seasons, the true fans remained die-hard in their loyalty to ‘the Team.’ Burgess Owens
I don’t think of myself as a comedian, but as an artist, a scientist and chemist who just happens to be funny. I started doing stand-up to add another level to my game. I feel that I’m a young rookie with a veteran’s skill. Marlon Wayans
It’s not like I’m some kind of veteran and there is this huge age gap. I identify with them more off the field. I need to set an example, which is great, and I look forward to doing just that. Barry Zito
I’m OK being the veteran, but I’m still just a kid. Barry Zito
At Deloitte, our programs for veterans are bringing new approaches to the table. For instance, we’re helping veterans’ organizations use data analytics to sift through streams of information about veteran needs. Cathy Engelbert
I say we put a choice card in every veteran’s hands to say, ‘You choose.’ You control your health care. If you want to go to the VA, which most veterans like, go to the VA. But if you want to go outside of the system, here’s your choice card. You go outside of the system. David Jolly
When I was young, I watched my mom and dad build everything that matters: a family, a business and a good name. I was raised to believe in hard work, in faith and family. My dad, Ed Pence, was a combat veteran in Korea. Mike Pence
A great fight that I’d love is B.J. Penn. That would be so awesome. He’s a veteran of the sport. He’s fought everywhere. Donald Cerrone
The best compliment we ever got about the show was from a Korean veteran who was unable to talk about his war experience with his wife until ‘M*A*S*H.’ While watching the show, he was able to lean over to his wife and say, ‘See, honey, that’s the way it was.’ Gary Burghoff
Obviously, I’m at the beginning of my career, contrary to what anyone else thinks. I’m 19 years old. In any other country, everywhere else, you’re a prospect. And that’s what I am right now in Europe. I’m a prospect. I’m not a seasoned veteran. Freddy Adu
I am very proud of my service, and by law, I am defined as a combat veteran. Joni Ernst
Like many of his fellow skyjackers, 49-year-old Arthur Gates Barkley was motivated by a complicated grievance against the federal government. In 1963, the World War II veteran had been fired as a truck driver for a bakery, after one of his supervisors accused him of harassment. Brendan I. Koerner
I am a woman and, second, I have been to war. I am a combat veteran. This is not a war on women, and anytime Democrats use the word ‘war,’ they need to do it to honor our servicemen and women. Joni Ernst
Any veteran can tell you it is already hard enough to see a doctor down at the VA and get the health care they were promised when they signed up to serve this country. Nick Lampson
Historical fiction was not – and is not – meant to supplant literature from the period it describes. As a veteran of the Crimea, Tolstoy wrote ‘War and Peace’ to match his own internal sense of the truth of the Napoleonic wars, to dramatize what he felt literature from that period had failed to describe. Alexander Chee
If someone busted into your house and robbed you, would you then forgive them if you found out they were a veteran? Of course not. So why are we forgiving McCain for selling out his country by supporting the Bush agenda? Adam McKay
Cheer for your teammates, regardless of whether they’re fast or slow, veteran or neophyte, varsity or JV. Or rally the spirits of someone who’s had a bad performance. Also, encourage stragglers during tough workouts; jog back to ‘pick up’ a runner who’s behind during a long run. Don Kardong
As a veteran of many campaigns, I know how important it is not let up in the last few days. Nicola Sturgeon
I think they’ve got to give Kevin Owens a run with the belt. He’s a veteran, and he’s really clicking on the mic, and the kid is super talented. Stone Cold Steve Austin
Veterans report that service dogs help break their isolation. People will often avert their eyes when they see a wounded veteran. But when the veteran has a dog, the same people will come up and say, ‘Hi’ to pet the dog and then strike up a conversation. Al Franken
I play an 89-year-old man whose wife has Alzheimer’s in a movie called ‘Still.’ I play a World War II veteran, I acted with my son and it’s called ‘Memorial Day.’ James Cromwell
I am classified as a disabled veteran. The reason I’m disabled is because I have wounds and injuries that I got while on active duty… from parachute jumping to combat to gunshot wounds, all that stuff. Richard Carmona
America is a grateful nation. We cannot allow anything or anyone to get in the way of that. The words ‘veteran’ and ‘backlog’ should never appear in the same sentence. Jackie Walorski
I had been a veteran of pretty challenging job searches, so I knew firsthand how frustrating, confusing, and demoralizing the job search process can be. Even after you get a job, many people join companies and discover in the first couple weeks that they aren’t a good match with the personality and values of the company. Kathryn Minshew
I am a Marine Corps veteran, but more importantly – or as important maybe – I’m the chairman of the Oversight Investigation Subcommittee and the House Veterans Affair Committee. Mike Coffman
The simple truth is that every veteran has his or her own unique story, and there’s no single narrative about the issue of veterans finding civilian employment. And no single solution. Cathy Engelbert
I’ve never really felt like a veteran. I’ve never felt like the guy who’s like, ‘OK, everyone needs to look up to me and respect me.’ I’ve always just been one of the guys that people are excited to get in the ring with. That’s all I want. A.J. Styles
I don’t understand the NBA in that, each time they bring in a one-and-done kid, they have to release a veteran player on a roster. I don’t understand why their players association condones that. Bobby Knight
Don’t pretend to know everything. I’ve been blessed to work with a lot of veteran actors, and I soak up lessons from them like a sponge. Michael B. Jordan
We’ve got to make sure our veteran, Democratic veterans are strengthened and feel like they are fully included. Keith Ellison
As a Korean War veteran, I know firsthand and understand the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform. Charles B. Rangel
As a 22-year Army Veteran who served in Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, and as a Civilian Advisor to the Afghan Army in Operation Enduring Freedom, I understand both the gravity of giving the order, and the challenge of carrying it out. Allen West
As the daughter of a 25-year veteran of the armed forces, I am incredibly thankful for the sacrifices our women and men have made in Iraq, and continue to make in Afghanistan. Barbara Lee
For every veteran who goes through a divorce, a wife goes through one, too. For every veteran alone in the basement, there is a wife upstairs, bewildered, isolated and in despair from the dark clouds of war that hangs over family life. Karl Marlantes
The civilian wants to respect what the veteran has gone through. The veteran wants to protect memories that are painful and sacred to him from outside judgment. Phil Klay
No one has a name in ‘The Road.’ Like Cormac McCarthy’s novel from which it’s adapted, ‘The Road’ features characters such as the man, the boy, the wife, the old man and the veteran. Garret Dillahunt
Anyone who’s been the Olympic trials before is a veteran. Max Aaron
I think we are looked upon as a veteran band. Lou Gramm
Milan has no reservations signing veteran players and has always taken into account the image and communication factors. Paolo Maldini
I don’t think there’s a more battle-hardened veteran anywhere than Larry Summers. Roger Altman
No military or veteran family should have to choose between paying their bills and being together while one of our nation’s heroes is in the hospital. John Delaney
I am proud to have played a small part in ensuring that no veteran’s heroic service will be cast aside due to prejudice. Ted Deutch