All veterans have made sacrifices

If on this Veteran's Day you are looking for military veterans to thank for serving their country, chances are you won't have to look far. In fact, there are probably veterans in your office — maybe in the next cubicle — or working for your firm at another location. Because of our recent military engagements in the Middle East, there is also a good chance that these veterans were in harm's way at some point during their service. As our story on Page 1 points out, the call to serve is strong, and many financial advisers proudly put their lives on the line despite the danger. As the story also makes clear, their military duty interrupted their careers. In most cases, at least the ones mentioned here, the veterans' advisory firms were supportive, and when they came back from active duty, their books of business were still intact. That, however, hasn't always been the case. But even if these veterans were able to hold on to their clients, there is an opportunity cost to serving one's country. While service members were fulfilling their duty, their fellow advisers were likely prospecting for new clients, developing new business skills and moving up the corporate ladder. Also, picking up where one left off isn't always so easy. Sometimes there are transition issues when veterans return to civilian life. The bottom line is that our veterans have given an awful lot of themselves for our freedom. Some soldiers who went to war paid the ultimate price, but all veterans sacrificed something. Several financial services firms realize that the qualities that make a good soldier also make a good adviser and have instituted programs to recruit veterans. We commend them for doing so. The rest of us can do something simple, but meaningful, on this Veterans Day. Approach a veteran, extend your hand, and simply say, “Thank you for your service.” It is the least we can do, and the least they deserve.