What's The Diff?

Without that service, all of our lives could be very different.

Have you ever heard the quote, “I may disagree with what you say but I shall defend to the death your right to say it?”

That is the essence of a free society and that is the service that we should all be thankful for from anyone who ever served our country.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank everyone of the men and woman who have served and are still serving our country.

Here is a little history on Veterans Day:

World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The actual fighting between the Allies and Germany, however, had ended seven months earlier with the armistice, which went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. Armistice Day, as November 11 became known, officially became a holiday in the United States in 1926, and a national holiday 12 years later. On June 1, 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans.

In 1968, new legislation changed the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. It soon became apparent, however, that November 11 was a date of historic significance to many Americans. Therefore, in 1978 Congress returned the observance to its traditional date.

Tomb of the Unknowns
Official, national ceremonies for Veterans Day center around the Tomb of the Unknowns.
To honor these men, symbolic of all Americans who gave their lives in all wars, an Army honor guard, the 3d U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard), keeps day and night vigil.
At 11 a.m. on November 11, a combined color guard representing all military services executes “Present Arms” at the tomb. The nation’s tribute to its war dead is symbolized by the laying of a presidential wreath and the playing of “Taps.”

I especially want to thank the family members who’ve served in the military (or who still serve).  If you’ve served and your name isn’t listed below, please let me know and we’ll add you.

If you get a chance, stop by and thank them for their service. Today is their day. Let them know they’re appreciated.

Chris Amez – Senior Mortgage Banker, Southfield
Lou Aquilina – Senior Mortgage Banker, Southfield
Jason Arnet – Client Care Specialist, Farmington Hills
Steve Beattie – Suspense Analyst, Farmington Hills
Jim Beckstrom – Mortgage Banker, Southfield
Erik Berry – Closing Care Specialist, Farmington Hills
Jeff Bolla – Mortgage Banker, Southfield
Robert Brus – Business Systems Analyst, Detroit
Michael Brocker-Querio – Int. Reg. Staff Appraiser, Livonia
Charles Chandler – Tech Support Specialist, Livonia
Jason Charles – Application Engineer, Detroit
James Cherney -  President’s Club Banker, Detroit
Clay Closson – Web Marketing Team Leader, Detroit
John Cochran – Associate Banker, Detroit
Dan Connell – Executive Mortgage Banker, Detroit
Austin Connor – Mortgage Banker, Cleveland
Kelly Crawford – Telecom Administrator, Detroit
Rick Diaz – Senior Mortgage Banker, Southfield
Keith DeFour – Title Clearance Analyst, Livonia
Andre DeWendt – Collections Servicing, Livonia
Robert Downing – Associate Banker, Scottsdale
Regina Duncan – Associate Underwriter, Farmington Hills
Bill Dwyer – Senior Mortgage Banker, Cleveland
Jason Glitz – Team Leader, Detroit
Venus Green – Senior Mortgage Banker, Detroit
John Hart - .net Developer, Livonia
Matthew Henkel, Executive Mortgage Banker, Southfield
Shawn Hill – Sr. Team Relations Specialist, Scottsdale
Adele Isabell – Sr. Research Spec., Troy
Todd Jennings -  Senior Mortgage Banker, Scottsdale
Levi Johnstone – Systems Engineer, Detroit
Diana Kaczmarek – Ops Director, Farmington Hills
Charles Kniffen – Suspense Analyst – Farmington Hills
Ann Marie Kramer – President’s Club Banker, Detroit
Matt Lauer – Sr. Data Wrhse Engineer, Detroit
Chris Lawter – Mortgage Banker, Scottsdale
Doug Ledger – Client Care Specialist,  Farmington Hills
Adam Lesner – Senior Mortgage Banker, Detroit
Brandan Logan – Dir. Of Mortgage Banking, Cleveland
Pete Louisell – Executive Mortgage Banker, Southfield
Tom Lower – Director of Mortgage Banking, Detroit
Justin Machak – Director of Mortgage Banking, Scottsdale
Kerrianne  Mackin – Presidents Club Banker, Detroit
Dan Marderosian – Sr. Dir. Of Mortgage Banking, Cleveland
Ryan McCullough – Mortgage Banker, Cleveland
Rob McKenney – Presidents Club Banker, Southfield
Steve McNiel – Presidents Club Banker, Southfield
Fred Milz – Facilities Tech, Farmington Hills
Mike Mitchell – Business Analyst, Detroit
Dave Morrison – Telecom Administrator, Detroit
Denise Naylor – Business Consultant, Detroit
Tim O’Connor – Associate Banker, Scottsdale
TR O’Connor – Director of Mortgage Banking, Scottsdale
Josh Offenberg – Mortgage Banker, Cleveland
Kenn Osborne – Software Engineer, Detroit
Rob Parish – Mortgage Banker, Scottsdale
Jeff Paszko – Underwriter, Farmington Hills
Ali Piloni – Portfolio Manager, Detroit
Josh Pomeroy – Sr. Traning Consultant, Detroit
Ben Ponder – Licensed Res. Title Agent, Livonia
David Rivera-Padilla – Senior Mortgage Banker, Scottsdale
Joe Roggero – Data Center Admin, Detroit
Roger Roskam – Business Analyst, Detroit
Brian Saks – Associate Underwriter, Livonia
Mike Schaffner – Senior Mortgage Banker, Southfield
Enrique Serena – Associate Banker, Scottsdale
Jason Shaw – Program Manager, Detroit
Andrew Shell – President’s Club Banker, Scottsdale
Joe Simpson – VP, Infrastructure Ops, Detroit
Roy Sketlton – Telecom Administrator, Detroit
Glen Sprague – Assoc System Engineer, Detroit
Steven Steele – Mortgage Banker, Detroit
Mark Stoltz – Client Care Specialist, Farmington Hills
Clint Stroble – Executive Mortgage Banker, Detroit
Gary Sturm – Mortgage Banker, Detroit
Michael Thomas – President’s Club Banker, Detroit
Richard Tuggle – Director of Mortgage Banking, Scottsdale
Baron Tyler – Executive Mortgage Banker, Scottsdale
Steve Urban – Sr. Appraisal Analyst, Farmington Hills
AJ Ureel – Title Source Contractor, Farmington Hills
Jeff Van Deusen – Mortgage Banker, Southfield
Evan Vanover – Executive Mortgage Banker, Cleveland
Ryan Vawter – Mortgage Banker, Scottsdale
Wolfgang Von Mueller – Senior Investigator,  Detroit
Sherry Whitfield – Suspense Analyst, Farmington Hills
Nathan Williams – Associate Banker, Detroit
Ron Wojnar – Systems Engineer, Detroit
Ronald Zimmerman – Mortgage Banker, Cleveland

Finally, here is a letter that Abraham Lincoln wrote to a mother during the civil war:

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours very sincerely and respectfully,

Abraham Lincoln

Happy veteran’s day.

Strength and honor,

Bill