SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Wednesday issued the following statement:

“Veterans Day is an important opportunity to pause and reflect on those who have given everything, and the sacrifice their families and loved ones have made. We can never fully repay the debt we owe our nation’s veterans. Service is a calling. And those who answer the call exemplify the best of our values – the willingness to stand up and act, the bravery and courage it takes to think of others before yourself, to make an individual effort to support a collective good.

“It’s been an incredibly challenging year for all of us. But one thing I’ve been reminded of amid these crises is that the willingness to serve is a core American value, and a New Mexican value too. We help our neighbors. We protect one another. We go the extra mile. That’s never been more important than right now.

“To all of New Mexico’s veterans, thank you. To the families of veterans across our state, thank you. Let’s all try to carry the gratitude that we feel today forward, with us in our hearts, every single day of the year. The men and women who served our nation, who protected our state and our country, who sacrificed to help create a more perfect union, deserve nothing less.

“May God bless all our service members, today and every day.”