Thank Veterans on the Anniversary of D-Day

When Charles Norman Shay, a 19-year-old Native American and member of the Penobscot Nation in Maine, landed on Normandy’s Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, he could not have known that he and 156,000 of his courageous American, British and Canadian comrades were taking a critical step in saving the free world and protecting the democratic freedoms we enjoy today. Charles Shay turns 100 this month, and he continues to represent the legacy of all those who fought so bravely that awful day.

On the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Americans should reflect on what our soldiers accomplished during that pivotal moment in history.

It marked the beginning of the end of Nazi tyranny and the birth of a Western alliance that has stood sentry for freedom for eight ­decades. Whether serving on the battlefields or working in the shipyards and factories at home to supply the armaments of victory, these men and women have rightfully been called our greatest generation.

AARP has a long history of supporting those who served in the U.S. armed forces and their families.

Nearly 6 million AARP members have served, or are serving, in the U.S. military.

Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

We believe the best way to honor our veterans is by giving them the tools and resources necessary to navigate life while serving and after they retire.

AARP’s Veterans and Military Families (VMF) initiative helps connect veterans and their families with information on care­giving, fraud, employment and benefits earned through military service.

In 2023, we updated the AARP Veterans Health Benefits Navigator to reflect the PACT Act of 2022, which provided one of the largest benefit expansions in history by offering additional health services to more than 5 million Vietnam, Gulf War and post-9/11 eligible veterans.

We further grew our outreach with the Veterans Home Modification Benefits Guide, providing information about making homes easier to age in through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Our Veterans and Military Spouses Job Center launched six accredited continuing education courses to assist with finding jobs. And we joined with the ­National ­Association of State ­Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) to support veterans at the state level and provide channels to area agencies.

Find more about our services for veterans at aarp.org/veterans.

On this 80th anniversary of D-Day, Americans should remember the sacrifices of those who changed the course of history that day. We honor their heroism most by doing all we can to ensure that all our veterans and military families are able to live out their lives healthy, secure, safe and free.