Quotes to Honor Enlisted Soldiers

Each November in the United States of America since 1919 we’ve celebrated our servicemen. Originally, this day was called Armistice Day, and honored the end of World War 1. In 1954, the purpose of this holiday was expanded to celebrate the service of all veterans. 

In this article, I’ve collected quotes that honor the enlisted men and women of our armed forces. They do the “heavy lifting” in the military, and the non commissioned officers are the soldiers who make the military work each day.

I am grateful for our soldiers. Enjoy these quotes as you consider the veterans and service members you know.

America without her Soldiers would be like God without His angels.

Claudia Pemberton

We have good corporals and good sergeants and some good lieutenants and captains, and those are far more important than good generals.

General William Tecumseh Sherman

…It is a proud privilege to be a soldier – a good soldier … [with] discipline, self-respect, pride in his unit and his country, a high sense of duty and obligation to comrades and to his superiors, and a self confidence born of demonstrated ability.

Gen. George S. Patton Jr.

My heroes are the non-commissioned officers. If I had another life that’s what I’d be – a regimental sergeant major or a similar rank. That’s where the spirit of the armed forces is.

Bob Ainsworth, Brish Politician

The soldier is the army. No army is better than its soldiers. The soldier is also a citizen. In fact, the highest obligation and privilege of citizenship is that of bearing arms for one’s country.

Gen. George S. Patton Jr.

In the military, you learn the essence of people. You see so many examples of self-sacrifice and moral courage. In the rest of life, you don’t get that many opportunities to be sure of your friends.

Adam Driver, actor and Marine Corps veteran

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

George Orwell

War is too important to be left to the generals.

Georges Clémenceau

What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight — it’s the size of the fight in the dog.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Battles are sometimes won by generals; wars are nearly always won by sergeants and privates.

F. E. Adcock

From this day to the ending of the world, 

But we in it shall be remembered-

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; 

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me 

Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile, 

This day shall gentle his condition; 

And gentlemen in England now-a-bed 

Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here, 

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks 

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

William Shakespeare, Henry V

Because I am hard, you will not like me. But the more you hate me, the more you will learn. I am hard but I am fair.

R. Lee Ermey, Ret. USMC

We sleep safely at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us.

Winston S. Churchill

Quotes to Honor Sergeants

Any officer can get by on his sergeants. To be a sergeant you have to know your stuff. I’d rather be an outstanding sergeant than just another officer.

Daniel Daly

A soldier is the most-trusted profession in America. Americans have trust in you because you trust each other. No matter how difficult times are, those of us who love the Army must stick with it.

Sergeant Major Richard A. Kidd

it is difficult to be a good noncommissioned officer. If it had been easy, they would have given it to the officer corps.

Sergeant Major William A. Connelly

The goal of the corps of NCOs, whose duty is the day-to-day business of running the Army so that the officer corps has time to command it, is to continue to improve our Army at every turn. We want to leave it better than we found it. Regardless of the kind of unit you’re in, it ought to be an “elite” outfit, because its NCOs can make it one.

Sergeant Major William G. Bainbridge

You’re not being paid by how hard you work, but by what you accomplish. If you can’t hack it, pack it. Our challenge today is to look forward, to write our own history.

Sergeant Major  William A. Connelly

I hope you enjoyed these quotes honoring enlisted soldiers. If you’re interested in more great quotes, click here for 33 Motivating and Inspiring Quotes on Perseverance.

Make it a great day!