If you want to see first-hand how the bond of military service transcends generations, look no further than MOAA's Levels of Excellence Awards dinner. Nearly 500 guests attended the Nov. 1 dinner as part of our Annual Meeting in Phoenix. It was an opportunity to honor our finest chapters for living up to our mantra: never stop serving.

The evening started like many others. Posting of the colors, a stirring rendition of the National Anthem, invocation and, as always, our Pledge of Allegiance.

As the opening remarks began, the color guard from the local Navy ROTC detachment at Arizona State University quietly sat at an empty table at the back of the ballroom. I was with new MOAA Board member, Rear Adm. Thomas Jurkowsky, and we wondered if we should move to their table.

Would they want to sit with a couple old guys? Admiral Jurkowsky asked if they wanted company, and their response was welcoming and sincere. The rest of the evening was a reminder of why our country is so great, why our future is so bright, and why we need to continue serving long past the day we hang up our uniforms.

Sitting with those future servicemembers, we talked about military service, their preparation to max their PT tests, their goals, their plans. They asked questions about our service, about what changed most during our time in uniform, and what were the highlights of serving around the world. They told us about their desired service specialties, from aviation to infantry.

Since four of the five were going into the Marine Corps, I asked if they'd like to meet our outgoing Chairman, Gen. Jack Sheehan, USMC (Ret). The connection was immediate, soon followed by photos and laughter. They were interested to learn MOAA's President and CEO Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins was a former Thunderbird. Soon after they were up at the front of the room meeting our new Chairman Adm. Walt Doran USN (Ret), and many other distinguished MOAA members.

I was thinking: isn't this great that we got to introduce these five young men to these veteran senior officers? But then I looked closer, and felt something deeper. Every general, admiral, colonel, major, warrant officer - every officer in attendance - was looking at these five young men. The MOAA members all had a fire in their eyes, remembering what it was to be 19 or 20, ready to serve our country.

These young men, and many other men and women, are going to carry on the great legacy of our nation. Seeing their precise movement, perfect uniforms and motivated attitudes was a shot in the arm during a time of great division in our country. And while we all care about the great advocacy MOAA does to protect the pay and benefits of those who wore the uniform, we care equally as much, if not more, about looking out for the next generation of military officers as well as the men and woman they will lead.