As we enter the month of November, a profound sense of gratitude and admiration fills our hearts.

This is the time when we pause to honor the unwavering dedication and sacrifices of our military veterans and their families — who have selflessly served our nation with unwavering courage and commitment.

What These Families Have Endured

These remarkable individuals have endured immense challenges:

  • The rigors of combat — physical and emotional
  • The emotional toll of extended separations from their loved ones
  • Frequent moves — uprooting kids from schools, spouses from careers, families from communities they had just begun to call home
  • Constant readiness — knowing the call could come at any moment
  • The "what if" — every deployment, every mission, every flight

Your sacrifices, though often unsung, have been instrumental in upholding the fabric of our nation.

Service Beyond the Battlefield

As we honor our military veterans and their families, let us remember that their service extends far beyond the battlefield.

Their dedication has:

  • Shaped our communities — through veteran-led nonprofits, civic leadership, and continued service in second careers
  • Inspired us to be better citizens — through example, sacrifice, and lived demonstration of what duty looks like
  • Reminded us of the true meaning of selflessness and patriotism — at a moment in our national life when those words can sometimes feel abstract

The Klamath Basin Context

For Klamath Falls, this conversation is not abstract. Kingsley Field is woven into the daily life of the basin. The 173rd Fighter Wing is part of our community — and so are the families of every airman, technician, and support staff member.

Klamath schools have Air National Guard kids in classrooms. Klamath youth-sports teams have Air National Guard parents on the sidelines. Klamath churches have Air National Guard families in the pews. Klamath businesses have Air National Guard veterans on the payrolls.

When we say "military family" in Klamath Falls, we mean our neighbors.

Recognized Leadership

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Alan Gronewold — The Adjutant General, Oregon — represents the kind of senior leadership whose career has touched countless military families across Oregon. His service, and the service of leaders like him at every rank, is why the broader military system functions at all.

In This Month of Remembrance

Let us not only express our gratitude but also take action:

What You Can Do

  • Thank a military family in person — neighbors, coworkers, fellow congregants, parents at school pickup. Specific gratitude lands differently than generic "thanks for your service."
  • Support military-family nonprofits — organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project, Folds of Honor, USO, and local Klamath-specific support networks
  • Volunteer at events that honor veterans and their families — like the Annual Law Enforcement Officers Memorial (often partnered with veteran-support work)
  • Hire veterans — and military spouses, who face employment challenges due to frequent moves
  • Show up for the kids of military families — friendship, mentorship, school engagement
  • Vote — and engage with veteran-affairs policy at every level

A Permanent Klamath Commitment

The end of this month doesn't end the work.

Klamath Living is committed to year-round coverage and recognition of our military community — the families of Kingsley Field, the veterans living in our basin, and the active-duty service members who consider Klamath Falls home for as long as their service allows.

Thank you, military families. For everything you've given, for everything you continue to give, and for the example you set for the rest of us.

The Klamath Basin is grateful — and we always will be.