Via Fotolia.com

Today is Patriot Day, otherwise known as 9/11, the day America was attacked, or – for those in uniform or about to sign up – the day everything seemingly changed.

America's military has gone through a lot in the 13 years since an al-Qaida plot killed nearly 3,000 U.S. citizens in New York City, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Troops have gone on millions of individual deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan as a result of the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Still, as President Barack Obama reminded the country last night, the threat of terrorism – whatever group it’s coming from – continues to weigh heavily in world events. It’s something our brave men and women in uniform continue to fight to eradicate to the greatest extent possible.

And as long as they’re in uniform, the USO will be by their side giving them comfort on the frontlines, assisting their families back home and making sure they have the tools to achieve a bright future, whether they’re overcoming an injury or transitioning.