Dear JFS Friends, Supporters, and Fellow Veterans,
As a Navy veteran who served for 22 years, I pause each Veterans Day to reflect on the people who have worn our nation’s uniform and the responsibility we share to stand beside them after their service. This year, I want to recognize a fellow Navy veteran whose courage helped open the doors of service to generations of women: Janie L. Mines.
Last week, I attended the New England Center and Home for Veterans’ Leave No One Behind gala in Boston, where Janie was the keynote speaker. The Center which help homeless Veterans is led by my friend and fellow Navy veteran, retired Captain Andy McCawley. Both Andy and Janie graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1980, nine years before my own class. Being there was a meaningful reminder of how service continues long after we leave the military.
A little history. Veterans Day began as Armistice Day in 1919, marking the first anniversary of the November 11, 1918, armistice that ended the fighting between the Allies and Germany in World War I. Congress made November 11 a legal holiday in 1938. In 1954, following World War II and the Korean War, it became Veterans Day to honor all who have served in our Armed Forces, in war and in peace. While Memorial Day specifically remembers those who died in military service, Veterans Day honors everyone who served, with particular appreciation for the veterans among us.
Janie’s story deserves to be known. In 1976, she entered the Naval Academy as the only Black woman among the 81 women in its first entering class to include women. Four years later, she became the Academy’s first Black female graduate. She faced the demands of a rigorous military education while confronting racism, sexism, and resistance to her very presence. Her perseverance helped make it possible for others to see themselves as future naval officers.
Her accomplishments continued well beyond Annapolis. As a Navy Supply Corps officer, Janie served at the Pentagon and aboard USS Emory S. Land, becoming part of the first generation of women officers to serve on Navy ships. She later earned an MBA from MIT as a Sloan Fellow and held leadership positions at companies including Procter & Gamble, Hershey, and Bank of America. She also returned to public service as a senior civilian advisor in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy.
Janie’s commitment to others has remained central to her life. She founded and led Boyz to Men Club, a nonprofit supporting disadvantaged adolescent boys, and continues to mentor midshipmen and military officers. Her book, No Coincidences: Reflections of the First Black Female Graduate of the United States Naval Academy, shares the faith and resilience that sustained her. Her example reminds us to recognize the talent and potential in people who have too often been excluded from opportunity.
Andy and his team at the New England Center and Home for Veterans carry that commitment forward through housing, employment assistance, behavioral healthcare, and other support for veterans facing homelessness. Their work recognizes that every veteran deserves the opportunity to build a stable, dignified life.
In Jewish tradition, hakarat hatov—recognizing the good—calls us to acknowledge what others have given. For me, Veterans Day is an opportunity to put that gratitude into practice. Through our work at JFS of Metrowest, I see how much a caring community can contribute to a veteran’s well-being.
This Veterans Day, please reach out to a veteran and ask about their story. Support an organization helping veterans and their families secure housing, access food and healthcare, or find meaningful work. Remember their families and caregivers, whose contributions are too often overlooked. Attend an event. List of events listed below.
To Janie, Andy, my fellow veterans, and the families who stand beside them: thank you. May we honor your service by making sure that support, opportunity, and belonging remain within reach throughout your lives.
With gratitude,
Lino Covarrubias, CEO
U.S. Navy Veteran | U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1989
Other opportunities to show your support:
City of Framingham To Host Veterans Day Ceremony on November 11 at 11 a.m.
https://framinghamma.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/3600
Veteran’s Day Ceremony – November 11, 2026, Medway
https://medwayma.gov/news-and-notices/veterans-day-ceremony-november-11-2026/
Veterans Day 2026 Parade Schedule, Natick
https://www.natickma.gov/2402/Veterans-Day-2026
Veteran Day Observances, Southborough
https://www.mysouthborough.com/2026/11/09/veterans-day-observances-2026/
Veterans Day Breakfast, Stow
https://www.stow-ma.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/161
Town of Wayland to Hold Veterans Day Ceremony
https://www.wayland.ma.us/m/newsflash/home/detail/182
Boston Veterans Day Events
https://www.boston-discovery-guide.com/veterans-day.html
Veterans Day National Committee selects Regional Sites for 2026
https://news.va.gov/150268/veterans-day-selects-regional-sites-2026/