(MENAFN- EIN Presswire) EINPresswire/ -- Many people want to express gratitude on Veterans Day but aren't sure how. To avoid saying the wrong thing, they often default to a quick“Thank you for your service” and move on.

“There's nothing wrong with that,” says Colonel (Ret.) Christopher D. Kolenda, Ph.D., a Milwaukee-based combat veteran and founder of the Saber Six Foundation,“but it's a missed opportunity to build bridges and bring people closer together.”

Kolenda, who commanded paratroopers in Afghanistan and now helps veterans turn post-combat stress into growth, is encouraging Milwaukee-area residents to have more meaningful conversations this Veterans Day.

He suggests two simple questions that open the door to genuine connection:

What did you do in the service?

What did you like most about the military?

“These questions show curiosity and respect,” Kolenda explains.“They let veterans share what they're proud of: their purpose, their experiences, their camaraderie. It's an easy way to replace awkwardness with understanding.”

Kolenda says these small acts of connection help bridge the growing civilian–military divide.“When we ask, listen, and learn, we build the kind of community our country needs most.”

Kolenda founded the Saber Six Foundation in honor of six paratroopers from his unit who were killed in action. Through the foundation's programs and adventures, veterans reunite with those they served with in combat to strengthen the three keys to growth: purpose, belonging, and well-being.

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