Bowfin Base | November 28, 2024

Today, across the nation and here in Hawai’i Nei, we celebrate Thanksgiving – a day to gather with family and friends and give thanks for the many blessings we enjoy in our lives every day. It is also a time to be thankful for the many people who contribute every day to our communities and country.  

As we take this time to pause and reflect, let us remember those who are quietly celebrating while underway or forward deployed around the world. While we talk with family, they have the watch. We’ve all been there and know those mixed feelings of pride at accomplishing the mission, but also missing our loved ones while deployed during this time. For those at home, please keep these shipmates in your thoughts and prayers.

But, Thanksgiving is also a time to remember those less fortunate, and to show compassion to those in need – not only today, but every day.

“In this spirit, Thanksgiving has become a day when Americans extend a helping hand to the less fortunate. Long before there was a government welfare program, this spirit of voluntary giving was ingrained in the American character. Americans have always understood that, truly, one must give in order to receive. This should be a day of giving as well as a day of thanks.” Ronald Reagan

So today, as we give thanks for all our blessings, let us look for new ways to give generously of ourselves, too. All of our actions, no matter how small, have an impact.

From our ‘Ohana to yours, we wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving (Hau’oli La Ho’omakika’i)!