I cannot think of a better way to honor our veterans than to listen to their stories and learn from them. Many brave men and women have served our country in the military whether as a soldier, pilot, doctor, engineer, or in another capacity. Alaska’s veterans embody the best of the Last Frontier spirit: courage, fortitude, and leadership. Their stories are worth remembering.
In 2026, Must Read Alaska published eight Alaska veteran stories in a series called “Service to My Country.” Each veteran shared their experiences, the lessons they learned, the hardships they faced, and lastly, what they would say to young Americans. To honor Veterans Day 2026, I ask readers to read, reflect on, and share the advice each of these veterans has given to the next generation of leaders. Their words are far more worth reading than mine.
Thank you to every veteran who has served our country. God bless America!
Dr. Michael Hanifen, U.S. Air Force
“If I could say one thing to Americans between 18 and 25 years old, it would be this: Become someone worthy of respect. Pursue discipline. Embrace hardship instead of avoiding it. Have pride in your country, even while recognizing it is imperfect. Freedom survives only when people are willing to sacrifice for it.”
Full story: Service to My Country: Dr. Michael Hanifen, United States Air Force Veteran – Must Read Alaska
Josh Church, U.S. Marines Special Ops
“If I could say one thing to Americans between eighteen and twenty-five years old, it would be this: do hard things voluntarily. Modern society often encourages comfort, convenience, and avoidance of discomfort. But growth rarely happens in comfort. Some of the most meaningful experiences in my life came from situations I initially did not think I could handle. Service can take many forms. Young people benefit tremendously from experiences that force responsibility, accountability, discipline, and teamwork. Challenge yourself physically. Learn useful skills. Put yourself in environments where performance matters and excuses do not. You will discover strengths you did not know you had. You will also discover weaknesses, and that is equally important.”
Full story: Service to My Country: Josh Church, Marine Special Ops – Must Read Alaska
Dana Raffaniello, U.S. Marines
“To young Americans aged 18 to 25: Pay attention to where the future is actually going, not where it appears comfortable today. The technical fields, mathematics, engineering, computer science, electronics, are where civilization’s infrastructure will be designed, built, and operated for the next several generations. Artificial intelligence and automation are not distant concepts. They are already absorbing manual and routine labor at an accelerating rate. My own field, network and optical engineering, will increasingly be automated at the implementation level. What will not be automated, for a long time, is the capacity to design the systems, understand their failures, and operate at the level of genuine technical depth.”
Full story: Service to My Country: Dana Raffaniello, U.S. Marines – Must Read Alaska
Paul A. Bauer, Jr., U.S. Army Airborne Infantry
“If I could say one thing to young Americans between the ages of 18 and 25, it would be this: Consider serving your country. There is honor in military service. There is personal growth in military service. There is opportunity in military service. You can travel, learn valuable skills, learn a trade, receive an education, and build lifelong friendships while being paid to serve something greater than yourself. The military provides structure, discipline, leadership development, and long-term benefits that can help secure your future and support your family.
“Go while you are young, energetic, and curious about the world. Challenge yourself. Learning something difficult. Become part of a team. The nation needs young men and women willing to step forward and serve.
“For me, that decision at age 17 changed the course of my life. It gave me purpose, opportunity, and experiences I could never have imagined. More importantly, it taught me that freedom is never free and that every generation has a responsibility to preserve it for the next. I am proud to have served.”
Full story: Service to My Country: Paul A. Bauer, Jr., Army Airborne Infantry – Must Read Alaska
Zack Gottshall, U.S. Marines and U.S. Army
“If I could leave one message for the next generation, it would be this: never forget the life lessons you have learned— live them. Integrity and accountability are not qualities to embrace only when they are convenient; they must become part of your character. Learn the difference between confidence and pride. Confidence allows you to lead with conviction. Pride convinces you that you no longer need others. Never allow pride to keep you from asking for help when you need it.
Today, I am proud to be an Alaskan, proud to be a local small business owner, and grateful for the opportunities I have been given to continue serving others. Most of all, I am thankful to give back to my community, to the servicemen, women, and veterans who will always be my brothers and sisters in arms, and to remain obedient to God and my Lord Jesus Christ. If sharing my experiences helps even one person avoid the mistakes I made, encourages someone to seek help before pride gets in the way, or inspires one young American to pursue a life of purpose and service, then every lesson I learned was worth sharing.”
Full story: Service to My Country: Zack Gottshall, Marine and Army Veteran – Must Read Alaska
Dr. George B. Hightower, U.S. Navy
“The military is a great place for young people to discover themselves. I was given tremendous responsibility very early in my career. The military teaches the mental and physical discipline required to properly steward responsibility. Leadership and responsibility are two sides of the same coin. My military career increased my ability to shoulder increasing responsibility. Sir Issac Newton said it best, ‘If I have seen further, it is only because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.'”
Full story: Service to My Country: Dr. George B. Hightower, Navy Medical Doctor – Must Read Alaska
Blake Gettys, U.S. Air Force
“If I could tell every young American between 18 and 25 one thing, it would be this: find something bigger than your own comfort and give it everything you have. The mission will ask you for things that are inconvenient, even painful. Answer anyway.”
Full story: Service to My Country: Blake Gettys, Air Force Brigadier General – Must Read Alaska
Luis “Lu” Nieves, U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard
“If I could say one thing to Americans between 18 and 25, it would be this: do not build your life around comfort. Build it around purpose. You do not have to join the military to serve, but you should find something larger than yourself and give it your honest effort. Learn a difficult skill. Keep your word. Show up early. Protect people who cannot protect themselves. Ask for help before the weight becomes unbearable. Do not confuse attention with respect, or confidence with character. Confidence can disappear in one bad day. Character is what remains when it does.”
Full story: Service to My Country: Luis Nieves, Navy and Coast Guard – Must Read Alaska
