STERLINGTON, La. (KTVE/KARD) — Saturday, November 11th is Veterans Day, which is a time to honor members of the United States military. Tyrone Hardison served in the Louisiana Army National Guard. He says he couldn’t be more proud of serving his country.

“From when I wake up, it is an honor to put this uniform on. As we reflect on today, as what today means, Veteran’s Day, to those who paved the way before us to even being able to take advantage of some of those benefits that we have today. It is a great honor each day you wake up and be able to reflect on that.”

Tyrone Hardison is originally from Central Louisiana, and he joined the Louisiana Army national Guard 15 years ago, where he was deployed to Kuwait. And even after all these years, he says he still has vivid memories of his time overseas.

“It’s integrity. It’s an honor. It’s selfless service. Everyone has their own reason for serving, but wearing this uniform is being part of one percent. Everyone wants to do it. Everyone can’t do it. But the people who actually are called to the challenge are part of the one percent.”

But for Hardison, every honor and every memory also came with much bigger challenges.

“A lot of times, we directly correlate going overseas and deployments to going to war, but that is not necessarily the case. The separation from your family is the biggest challenge of all during my almost 15-year career.”

Hardison has gained several awards throughout the years including state and federal awards. Now, he has established his family in Sterlington and serves as a recruiter at ULM campus.

“That duty brings me the most passion because I’m able to provide the same opportunities for the younger generation.”

But one of his main roles, he says, is to leave the family legacy to his children.

“It makes me feel good since he is in the Army,” Hardison’s son, Tyrone Hardison Jr. said. “He is a recruiter now. He could put people in the Army. It honors all the people who have served in the Army.”

“And that is the biggest asset and value of being part of this organization. Is that you serve the people that you went to school with. You serve with people that you grew up with. That is the greatest benefit of being in the Louisiana Army National Guard,” Hardison explained.