A young parade participant dressed in American Revolution-era garb runs with an American flag during the parade procession. Photo by Dougal Brownlie

Abraham Lincoln once said that a house divided against itself cannot stand — yet today we live in a divided country. This year, as we honor our veterans, it is important to remember that unchecked divisiveness can lead to disorder, chaos, civil unrest, and even war. Our veterans understand this more than most as many of them have had to fix what others have broken. All veterans yearn for peace.

Veterans live in Teller County because of its freedom, beauty, peace and quiet, and deep sense of community and belonging. Veterans live here because in Teller County you don’t have to apologize for your patriotism. Service to country is respected and honored. Veterans in Teller County represent an inoculation against divisiveness and may be a primary reason we still maintain a sense of community, civility and tolerance in our communities.

Consider the impact one veteran had on Teller County in August, when we dedicated a memorial to our county’s only serviceman killed in action during the Vietnam War, Eric V. Dickson. Nearly 600 people, including Vietnam veterans, community leaders, elected officials, and countless residents came together. That event not only provided a measure of healing for a generation of veterans, but our veterans saw from our community that their service matters, even 50 years after a war ends.

As our community prepares for Veterans Day on Sunday, I encourage you to focus not on the day but on the veteran. Teller County veterans contribute in measurable ways to our community. They serve in local government, they own local businesses and they participate in volunteer service organizations. While they understand and respect authority, leaders and the law, they also demand fairness, due process and the rights and freedoms they fought for in combat. They sit next to you in church, they are your next-door neighbor, and if your car breaks down on a dark county road, they are very often the ones who stop to help you.

Our veterans are role models and they have earned our respect. We see in them something that is noble and something we want our children to possess as adults. Our veterans know there is no place in combat for divisiveness and no division along gender, race, political, religious or sexual orientation lines — there is only the camaraderie of shared hardship.

This year when you stop to thank a veteran for their service, thank them for their continued service, their sense of higher purpose and for being your neighbor and friend. When you sing the National Anthem remember that “the home of the brave” refers to the veteran. Walk with them and listen to their stories. Ask them what they would change about our country today if they could and they will tell you our nation needs to be whole again — starting right here in Teller County.

Dan Williams is a retired U.S. Army Colonel and multiple Combat Veteran. He also serves as the Teller County Planning Official.