For some of the people who have served in the military, Veterans Day brings up a whirlwind of emotions, both good and bad, relating to their time spent serving and the life they’ve lived after getting out. Each veteran has a different military experience, which helps shape their view on life, including how they view Veterans Day.  

  Chris Berry said that Veterans Day is a time to reflect on his service with his fellow soldiers and for them to all catch up with each other.   

  “It’s an excuse for us to get together,” Berry said. “If you have families, if you have kids – I have kids – if you have other stuff going on, Veterans Day is the one day that you’re like, there’s no excuse in the world that’s gonna prevent you from coming out with your boys.”  

 Berry, of New Britain, enlisted in the Army in May 2008 after graduating high school. He was deployed twice; once to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. Throughout his military career, Berry took on a variety of responsibilities, including performing military funeral honors.   

Berry said being out of the army has changed the way he sees Veterans Day compared to when he was actively serving. What he once saw as a headache, he now sees as an important day of remembrance, he said.   

 “We make something outta it,” Berry said. “We make the most of it.”  

  Depending on what one’s military career looked like, they may view Veterans Day’s differently than other soldiers, Berry said. Different factors, like losing fellow soldiers while serving, will change one’s perspective on the holiday, he said.   

 Berry said that instead of civilians celebrating veterans more, veterans needed to celebrate each other more.  

  “We need to recognize each other,” he said. “What are we doing to make each other feel appreciated?”  

  Berry said that Veterans Day tends to be a forgotten holiday and that some people tend to not see the day as more than a day off. He said that people shouldn’t be afraid to approach veterans in public, especially on Veterans Day.   

  “Just remember with us,” he said.  

 Similar to Berry, Jason Strickland, of Wethersfield, said he uses Veterans Day not only as an opportunity to reach out to those he served with, but as a time of reflection.  

  “I view Veterans Day as a time to reflect on people who have served during wartime,” he said. “The courage one needs to have to serve and selfless sense of duty to the country.”  

  Strickland enlisted in the Army in 1991 when he was a freshman in college. He served for 25 years and was deployed to Iraq in 2004.   

  Strickland said that Veterans Day brings up a bunch of emotions.  

  “When Veterans Day approaches, my mood is slightly somber,” he said. “I think of the people we lost, and the sacrifices made.”  

  Over the years, the way Strickland has celebrated Veterans Day has changed. When his kids were younger, he often attended Veterans Day celebrations held at their school. He also would attend celebrations at the grade school where his wife teaches.  

  Strickland said that Veterans Day has lost emphasis over the years and that its importance needs to be brought up in school. He said that schools should celebrate the holiday more, and that education about veterans should be shared at all levels of schooling.