BW Voices: Beyond 'Thank you for your service'

Kate Lentz, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran who serves as associate director of Veterans and Transfer Student Success at Baldwin Wallace University, advocates for showing gratitude to service members with action.

Each year on Veterans Day, we pause to say four simple words: "Thank you for your service." The phrase is brief and easy to say, yet profound in meaning. Behind it lies generations of courage, sacrifice, and devotion to something greater than oneself.

For veterans, service is more than time spent in uniform. It's the countless moments unseen by most — the early mornings, the long deployments, the birthdays and milestones missed, and the quiet resilience carried home. It's a life built around commitment and duty, often shouldering weight most of us will never fully understand. When we say thank you, we're not only acknowledging those visible acts of bravery, but the personal and family sacrifices that come with them.

Veterans come from every corner of our nation, from all backgrounds and all walks of life. They are our classmates, our colleagues, our neighbors, and our friends. They've served in times of war and peace, in deserts and jungles, on ships, in the air, and here at home. Their experiences may differ, but they share a unifying thread: a willingness to put others before themselves.

More than words

At Baldwin Wallace University, where I lead military student services, we are proud to serve those who have served. Our veteran students and alumni bring exceptional leadership, discipline, and perspective to campus life. BW's commitment to supporting them extends beyond words. It's reflected in the resources and community built to help veterans thrive.

The BW All-Star Student Veterans Center, also known as the Vet House, serves as a welcoming space for connection, study, and camaraderie. It's a place where student veterans and military-connected students can find support, share experiences, and build friendships with others who understand the transition from military to college life.

Student Veterans of America (SVA)

Through our chapter of Student Veterans of America (SVA), BW veterans find opportunities for advocacy, service, and leadership, continuing their legacy of making a difference in their community. Each year, BW strives to send leaders from our chapter to the SVA National Conference, where they connect with peers from across the country, network with major companies and organizations that work with veterans, share resources, and bring back new ideas to strengthen the veteran experience on our campus.

This year, BW was proud to celebrate our veterans past and present through the Veteran Alumni Reunion — a special gathering during BW's Bold & Gold Homecoming Weekend that reconnects our students who have worn the uniform and walked our campus. It was an evening of reflection, gratitude, and shared stories, as well as a reminder that while service may end, the bonds and community formed through it last a lifetime.

Gratitude backed by action

Veterans Day is not only a time for remembrance but also for renewal. It is a reminder to live with the same purpose and service-mindedness that veterans exemplify every day.

So today, and every day, join Baldwin Wallace in saying thank you — not just with words, but with action, community, and continued support. To all who have served and continue to serve: we honor your courage, your dedication, and your lasting impact on our campus and our world. Thank you for your service.

A version of this column first appeared on cleveland.com and in The Sun News in Northeast Ohio.