Icom Honors Our Vets

Hi. My name is Jake Den. I'm a Marie Corps veteran, currently still serving in the reserves. And, I was asked today to talk a little bit about what it means to me to be a veteran. The Marine Corps has given me so many different opportunities and experiences that I just couldn't have gotten anywhere else. It's given me the opportunity to challenge myself physically and mentally in ways that I think a lot of people don't really get the chance to do. It's given me the opportunity to get an education currently working on a master's degree in cyber security, thanks to Marine Corps. Giving me the chance to be mentored by some of the most intelligent and impressive people that I've ever met. Colonel Hubbard lieutenant colonel John Taylor, major Jesse Mckeeman. If you guys happen to watch this, I'll talk about you guys. It's also giving me the opportunity to serve some of the best Americans that I've ever met in my life. Darren Mitchell, Rich Christiansack, Zach Coats, Zach Ruby, both, if you guys are watching this, I'm talking about you guys. These are marines that, you know, I'll remember for the rest of my life. And I served with these marines, the finest fighting organization the world's ever seen. That's something that I'm proud of. These are some of the things that I think about on veteran's day. Something else that crosses my mind is that the trust that was put in me by, you know, American mothers and fathers trusted me to lead their sons and daughters train them and lead them and bring them back home safe. And as a father of three sons who have served well. That's a responsibility that that I don't take lightly. The other thing that I think about on Veterans Day is all the support that I've always gotten from home as well, from people that I don't know in never met that sent Christmas cards over two different Christmases deployed, kids, drawn pictures, and sending those over care, packages with snacks and all sorts of other things that you can't get overseas in some of those places. I think about my parents who are always ready to jump on a plane and help watch the kids if I had to go somewhere. My sister, Amy, my own children, Isaac Noah, Eli, and Joey, who always made the best out of tough situation when I had to go do my duty. Those are the things that I think about. And, of course, my wife Sabina, who always supports me no matter what it is that I have to do. Last of all, not only is it Veterans Day, but November tenth is also the Marine Corps birthday. Two hundred and forty eight years this year. To any marines out there, happy birthday and semper fi. That's pretty much all I have to say now. So thank you all for the support. Appreciate it.