This column was submitted by Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal:

The Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office proudly stands in humble tribute to the bravery and courage of all veterans in Washington Parish and throughout our great nation.

Every year when we celebrate Veterans Day on Nov. 11, we are reminded to thank our family, friends, community members and our own officers and staff who have served, or are serving, in all branches of our military. Our veterans and their families have made many sacrifices, including the ultimate sacrifice, to guarantee our freedom to stand in honor and memory of them, our beautiful flag and our nation.

As your sheriff, I strongly encourage each and every person to honor our veterans and to thank them for their service, not only on Veterans Day, but each day throughout the year.

To our men and women in uniform, past, present and future, God bless you, and thank you for serving our country and protecting our freedom. America must never forget your sacrifices to keep our country safe.