Red and blue hang proudly together on flag

So the midterm elections are in the books, with few surprises here in Charles County and in Maryland as a whole. Democrats kept their hold on local offices, while other Democrats stayed in business for most of the statewide positions. The exception there was an expected one, as Gov. Larry Hogan became the first Republican governor to win re-election here since 1954.

But let’s turn our focus from red and blue to red, white and blue.

The American Legion Post 82 in La Plata will hold a Veterans Day program at the post memorial on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. at 6330 N. Crain Highway, La Plata. Also on Sunday, the Maryland Veterans Museum will be holding a Veterans Day program at 11 a.m. at 11000 Crain Highway in Newburg. Then, on Monday, the College of Southern Maryland will hold a Veteran’s Day Recognition at 11 a.m. in the Campus Center building on the La Plata campus, 8370 Mitchell Road, La Plata. The event will recognize those who have served their country and their families with a special brunch.

About 1 in every 250 Americans are currently serving in the military, according to RallyPoint.com, and about 7.3 percent of all living Americans have ever served, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

But the concentration is thicker in Charles County. The U.S. Census reports nearly 17,000 veterans call the mother county home. That’s almost 10 percent of the population here.

Those figures just affirm what this community already knows. As host to Naval Air Station Patuxent River and the Naval Support Facility Indian Head, Southern Maryland is keenly aware of the sacrifices and commitment that military service demands, and many of its sons and daughters elect to join the Navy and Marines, as well as the Army, Air Force and Coast Guard.

So the celebration of Veterans Day is no perfunctory exercise here. It’s much more than pomp and pageantry. It’s appreciation for the military straw that continues to stir the economic drink here, and respect for all that it took — and takes — to maintain those high standards.

Since 2001, the observance of Veterans Day has come into even sharper focus. It is no longer just a tribute to those who served in peacetime or in wars past. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 (in which nine Southern Marylanders were killed), and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that followed, have made clear once again the risks and costs of answering the call to service. People in Southern Maryland genuinely and deeply understand and appreciate this.

So attend any — or all — of those local Veterans Day events, but at the very least take a few moments on Sunday to honor local veterans and reflect on their many sacrifices to allow us to live our lives as Americans. Those who serve in our armed forces often spend months away from loved ones, and may be sent into war where they risk their lives and endure harsh conditions.

If you see a veteran in the grocery store or elsewhere, thank them for their service. It may mean more to them than you could ever realize.

And if you feel moved to do so, put a flag out so others know how you feel about your nation and those who served. As we move on from the election season, remember that red and blue hang proudly together on that flag.