Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Veterans Day! Today, we honor the military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. This is something that is near and dear to my heart. It is also something that The Walt Disney Company has shown that it cares about as well throughout the years. This can be shown through its Heroes Work Here program, daily flag retreats, where it donates, and other initiatives that support both active military service members and veterans.

At Disney, there are many cast members who are veterans. These cast members not only have served their country, and now they also bring magic to guests daily. One thing I love that happens at Disneyland each year on Veterans Day is a special patriotic flag retreat ceremony. On Veterans Day, cast members who are veterans are invited to join the ceremony and be honored by Disney and all who are in Town Square. Here is a look at one of these ceremonies:

On Veterans Day, we give thanks to the veterans for their service. Their dedication and sacrifice help keep this nation and the world free. We also thank the cast members who are veterans for their dedication to sharing magic with guests every day as well. There are no words that can express gratitude appropriately for those who serve. However, it is a starting point that they can be honored on a daily basis during the flag retreat at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. These are a few moments where we stop and recognize their sacrifice and give gratitude for it.

On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.

– President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Veterans Day Proclamation in 1954

Join in A Month of Thanksgiving and share what you are thankful for today in the comments below!