My dad is a Veteran. He is also an accomplished tennis player and a small business advocate as a successful executive at a small community bank. Nothing brings him more joy than hanging out with his three children and three grandchildren. If he gets all six together in the same space, well, he’s in heaven. He’s smart, funny, wise, fearless, and the most optimistic person I’ve ever met. Last summer, he & I summitted Oregon’s Mt Washington which included a three pitch, class 5 rock climb to the top and a free-hanging rappel to get back down. He’d never rock climbed before. Did I mention fearless, yeah, I meant that. This year we are planning on summitting Mt Mcglaughlin, Mt Thielson, and Broken Top together (though he may not know that’s the plan).

Two years ago he was attending an air show in Madras, OR and as he pulled in to park, the parking attendant said “are there any Vets in the car?” My dad was taken off guard, but said “yes, I’m a Vet.” The parking attendant said “well, Vets park for free.” My dad relayed that story with the modifier that other than the awesome no-money-down mortgages offered to Vets that he used to buy his first home, he’s never been offered anything extra for being a Vet.

I think if you asked my dad to list the 5 things that he is, he would say:

1. Father
2. Grandfather
3. Banker
4. Tennis Player
5. Fan of all Oregon State University Sports

I’m not sure “Vietnam Veteran” would make his top 20. Maybe not even his top 50. By the way, my dad’s dad was a Veteran as well.

My point? For Father’s Day, I want to say “Happy Father’s Day” to all the silent heroes out there. Aren’t they the ones that really deserve the “thank you” and the recognition–the ones who fought for our country and just took it in stride, never asking for or even expecting a “thank you?” They did their duty, put off their careers and their family and put their country first. Many of them came home with visible and invisible scars. Our dads (and moms) serving in the military have shaped who we are as Baby Boomers, as Gen X-ers, as Americans.

I’m in danger of getting really sappy, but here I go…SheerID is changing how easy it is to say “thank you” to military personnel and other heroes. By offering discounts to military personnel and families online and having those discounts be verified instantly, the silent heroes that we all know, can get some recognition. They can be tennis players, and bankers, and hikers, and get 10, 20, or even 50% off their purchases online without having to make a fuss or draw any extra attention to themselves. SheerID wants to say “thank you” to all military personnel, and to make it a lot easier for retailers to say “thank you” as well.

To all the father’s out there who put their country first, so they could hurry home to put their families first—Happy Father’s Day from SheerID.