The following is a message from Amos Kim, Chair of AABANY’s Military & Veterans Affairs Committee:
I wanted to take a moment to wish every Veteran a Happy Veterans Day. Thank you to all those that served this great nation and its people.
My family came to this country in the early 80’s, making me the first American-born person in my family. I was also the first to attend college, and of course, law school. We weren’t financially secure by any means, but, through the GI Bill, I was able to attend law school. Although my finances were taken care of in law school, it was through AABANY and KALAGNY that I was able to navigate my way to the firm I work for today. I share my background to emphasize that I didn’t initially join the U.S. Navy and serve for 8 years on submarines simply as a service to this country. Instead, I enlisted to better myself and serve my family. Through my experiences, however, I grew to understand that I served a larger purpose, one that not only served my family, but all those who came to this country with hopes and a vision for a brighter future.
Because of my initial reason for joining the military, I have often felt awkward or uncomfortable hearing someone thank me for my service to this nation. I now can say that this is no longer the case; I’ve learned that although my primary reasons for joining the Navy may have been personal and self-serving, the act of serving is only carried out by a small percentage of this country’s population. Moreover, although I didn’t see any combat because of my position as a nuclear power plant supervisor on submarines, my experiences while there (both the good and the ugly) have stayed with me to this day. Now, my family and, to a certain extent, my firm, have supported me as I cope with my military experiences today. I’m sure it is more likely than not that the military experience of each veteran has also stayed with them in one way or another.
Therefore again, I would like to thank each veteran for their service, regardless of their reason for joining in the first place, because the act of serving one’s country is honorable in and of itself. I hope everyone takes the time to care for one another and hear each other’s stories, so that we and this country do not forget the sacrifices that veterans have made.
Lastly, I’d like to announce a fun event in honor of Veterans Day. We are holding a Paintball event in Brooklyn on November 23 at 11AM. To register, visit the KALAGNY website by clicking here: https://kalagny.org/event-5932955. Attending events like these supports us immensely, so please consider coming out and having a fun time.