Real Superheroes

As a cartoonist, and being among those multitudes who love cartoons, we're used to seeing superheroes of all kinds - with capes, in tights, with masks, and special powers.

Today though, we celebrate the superheroes that most Americans don't see in comics and cartoons every day - those Americans who have served in our Armed Services. These folks aren't in any G.I. Joe movie, and you won't see most of them on television. Whether they're gay or straight, old or young, men or women - even officers or enlisted - in the military they were all just service members. They all had their own political views, but regardless of how they felt, they did their jobs well - and came home alive.

Today is a day for us to celebrate their work and their service.

We hope, if you have a chance today, that you volunteer some of your own service at your local Veterans Hospital or with another veterans support group. If you're looking for some guidance on who needs help in your area, we recommend the IAVA, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, or your local VFW.

We also hope you'll simply say, "Thank you" to a veteran, for his or her willingness to serve. And to do our part, we're sending out our own "Thank-Yous" today.

Thank You to our Army Veterans, who've fought in locations near and far across the globe - and came home far too often with bodies or minds seriously scarred.

Thank You to our Navy veterans - including our webmaster - who have guarded, protected, and patrolled the roughly 2/3 of the planet the rest of us normally don't think much about.

Thank You to our Air Force veterans, who not only patrol the skies, but keep an eye on the thousands of objects that orbit our planet - and who know the difference between an airplane contrail and a missile launch.

Thank You to our Marine veterans, who so often go places that not even other armed services members wish to go, and accomplish tasks that most other people think are impossible.

Thank you to our Coast Guard veterans, too often overlooked. When Americans need to be saved from our own mistakes - for example, when massive cruise ships end up dead in the water off the coast of California - our Coast Guard members simply and humbly do their jobs.

Chances are statistically near 100% that someone you interact with every day is a veteran. Many of them are people you may not have even realized that served. So ask around today. Find a veteran or two. Thank them for their service.

Real-life superheroes appreciate gratitude too.