For more than two centuries, those who answered the call to serve our nation have done more than protect this nation – they’ve served in countless leadership roles in the public and private sector, built communities and corporations, and forever been the strongest threads in our country’s fabric.

This Veterans Day, I hope to encourage my fellow veterans to share their stories of service, and of success after service, with a generation of future servicemembers. These young men and women need to hear these stories from you because they’re not hearing them from media outlets focused on recruitment and retention struggles.

This may explain why the percentage of young people with the propensity to serve has dipped into single digits. Combine this with similarly distressing eligibility figures – less than 1 in 4 Americans ages 17 to 24 could join up without a waiver – and it’s easy to see why the all-volunteer force is at risk.

Veterans can help restore the motivation to serve simply by sharing what it means to be a veteran – from the camaraderie and purpose found in uniform to the service-connected benefits that last a lifetime (and that MOAA strives to protect.)

[RELATED: MOAA’s Never Stop Serving Podcast: War Stories]

For many MOAA members, uniform service was not just a job and a paycheck; it was a desire and a calling – it was a profession. Commemorate this Veterans Day by making your voice heard – we remain the best advocates for the future force, and only by spreading the word can we ensure that force remains strong.

Thank you, and Never Stop Serving.