Wounded Warriors
Veteran's Day Letter from Kiefer President Al Irzyk
Supporting The Wounded Warrior Project
In honor of our veterans, Kiefer will be sending a portion of our November 11, 2013 sales to the Wounded Warrior Project.
A Letter From Al Irzyk, President Of Kiefer
I am a veteran, having spent 5 years in the Army following my graduation from West Point. There are veterans throughout my family. My father spent 31 years in the Army surviving both the Battle of the Bulge in World War II and the TET offensive in Saigon in Vietnam. My wife Teri’s father was a career Air Force pilot. My two sisters married Marine Corps officers who made the Marine Corps their career, each spending over 30 years in service to our country.
Not a day goes by that I don’t think of the men and women who serve our country. It is truly a sacrifice that is difficult for those who have not served to really understand and appreciate.
Having grown up in the military, I know what it is like to have your father deployed into a war zone. It is tough on families to not see their loved ones for a long period of time and there is always the uncertainty of not knowing what might happen. People may read about families having relatives deployed and hear about it on the news, but anxiety and emotions are indescribable – you have to experience it firsthand to know the impact.
After graduation from college, Teri and I were married and were stationed for almost 5 years in Germany. Both of our kids were born there. Though I was not deployed in a war zone, being away from our families for that long with only two stateside visits during that time was difficult.
My family is only one of millions to serve in our military so that our country can continue to have the freedom that those who fought so long ago achieved. Unlike in World War II, today only a very small percentage of our total population join the military. As Winston Churchill said after the Battle of Britain in 1941, “Never have so many owed so much to so few”. That is certainly true today.
We are truly fortunate to have our service men and women there 24 hours a day every day. For those men and women who are currently serving, every day is Veteran’s Day. For the rest of us, it is a day to recognize, appreciate, and honor those who have served our country. Please do so today.
- Al Irzyk
