There are three watchwords for military men and women who have served: duty, honor, and country.

In the early 1960s, Gen. Douglas MacArthur famously pronounced these words, and each veteran understands them differently. For me, duty meant dedication. I have always thought of honor as trust. Country means loyalty — loyalty to something greater than oneself.

These three words — duty (dedication), honor (trust), and country (loyalty) — guide one in a career and life. When I taught at the Air Force Academy, we discussed these concepts. Cadets then took great pride in their honor code, which stated that they would not cheat, lie or steal and would not tolerate those who did. They expected the best in others all the time. One needs to be able to respect and trust those with whom one serves. It is the same for fellow veterans.

An essential unspoken rule is respect for each veteran’s experiences. Every veteran talks of their service and has a whole collection of stories based on their........

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