The Call to Service and the Legacy of Veterans: A Reflection on Citizenship and Duty

This Veterans Day, as we honored the service of the men and women in uniform, we had the opportunity to hear from Lt. Col Sam “Dirty” Smith, USMC (Ret). A proud KO dad of Hayden ’20, Carter ’22, and Ben ’25, the youngest Smith introduced his father to the school community.

For this Marine, his 21 years in the Corps were marked not only by his own dedication but by the unwavering support of his family and the camaraderie of his squadron. He shared that one individual stood out in particular: Sergeant Major Painter, an exceptional “badass” leader and Marine known in the Corps for her resilience and bravery. Smith shared a photograph of Sergeant Major Painter, taken just days after a significant firefight in Afghanistan, showing her extending compassion to an Afghan orphan—a powerful reminder that military service is as much about humanity as it is about courage.

Lt. Col. Smith engaged in a powerful exercise with the audience, asking them to stand if they had family members who served, highlighting the widespread impact of military service in America, peaking during WWII. Today, veterans represent around 12% of the population, a figure projected to decline to 8% by 2040. While the number of active-duty members remains steady at about 1.3 million, or 0.6% of the population, the visible presence of those who have served is shrinking, creating a gap in understanding the realities and sacrifices of military life.

Lt. Col. Smith noted that the dwindling percentage of veterans in our government is also a cause for concern. Those who have firsthand experience in uniform understand the gravity of decisions to send service members into harm’s way. “It’s beneficial to have folks in the Congress to know that {the military} is not just an idea or a statistic,” he said, “and that they have perspective on having been there themselves and know what our military families go through. Currently, he said that approximately 17 to 18% of Congress served in the military. 

Regarding the caustic political environment, Lt Col Smith reflected on the audience’s responsibility towards our nation’s future. He said that his journey in the Corps was about choosing a different path of service, not necessarily better or more righteous, just different. In the United States, our military personnel and Congress swear an oath to protect the Constitution—a document that enshrines the freedoms and rights that make our nation unique. “We do not swear allegiance to a person, such as the president, and not to an organization, such as the Department of Defense or even Congress.”This allegiance to a set of principles rather than a person embodies the values we stand for as a country.”

He said that veterans appreciate when we say, “Thank you for your service,” but this Smith shared an insight, wondering if, at times, what we’re really saying is, “Thank goodness for your service, so I don’t have to.” As he reminded his audience, service is a defining element of citizenship, which can come in many forms, extending beyond military duty to acts of citizenship and civic responsibility. Smith remarked that President Theodore Roosevelt once said that the success of a nation depends on the average citizen’s dedication to their daily duties. The real strength of a nation, as Roosevelt suggested, is found in the power of its citizens. Each of us has a role in preserving the rights and freedoms our veterans have fought to protect.

Service doesn’t have to be grand or heroic; it can be found in the small, everyday acts that contribute to our communities, citing an example of one of his son’s friends who volunteered handing out ballots on election day. Whether volunteering, voting, or engaging in informed political discourse, every effort counts. In a world where social media often amplifies division and cynicism, Lt. Col. Smith urged his audience to focus on unity and constructive dialogue. “Remember that progress comes incrementally and with compromises along the way to accommodate different points of view formed by the myriad experiences everyone brings to the American Story.” He warned against the dangers of apathy and misinformation, calling for a return to fact-based, respectful discussions. It’s not enough to passively enjoy our freedoms; we must actively work to protect and strengthen them.

In his closing, Lt. Col. Smith quoted from President Obama’s 2009 inaugural address: “What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility, a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world.” This call to responsibility speaks to the heart of citizenship, a commitment to contribute to the common good and to uphold the principles of democracy.

“For a nation to succeed and for all of you to succeed, you must prevail in the pursuit of national optimism in the face of unrelenting negativity and factions that talk more about me and I and individual grievance,” he said, “rather than what we can do together to continue to make this country the place that for centuries have given people the best chance on earth to fulfill their dreams.”