This Veterans Day, Anna Greer reflects on a once-in-a-lifetime experience accompanying her father on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., and the BDO colleagues who helped make the experience even more meaningful.
For BDO USA Advisory Practice People & Culture Leader and U.S. Army Sergeant (E5) Anna Greer, Veterans Day carries a meaning shaped by family, sacrifice, and a legacy of service that spans generations.
Anna’s father, Werner Keil, was born in Germany in 1942 and is a child survivor of World War II. At age 15, he immigrated to the United States, settling in Michigan. Just two years later, he joined the United States Army. His motivation was deeply personal — to serve the country that had given him a new beginning.
Werner went on to spend 30 years in the U.S. Army (1960-1990), serving many different divisions throughout his career and retiring as a First Sergeant (E8). His service included supporting the NATO Alliance in Germany, where he helped hold the line between East and West Germany during the Cold War. He also served as a Senior Enlisted Advisor, supporting several Infantry Company Commanders stateside.
His commitment to service also became a family tradition. Both Anna and her brother followed in Werner’s footsteps, each joining as teenagers and serving nine years in the military. This year, Anna had the opportunity to honor her father’s legacy in a different way.
A Journey Years in the Making
Two years ago, Anna submitted an application for her father to participate in an Honor Flight. In 2026, the call finally came: Werner had been selected for Honor Flight of West Central Florida’s Mission 57.
The organizing nonprofit, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, transports veterans at no cost to Washington, D.C., giving them the opportunity to visit memorials dedicated to their service and sacrifice. In June, 84-year-old Werner and Anna, serving as a "guardian," joined 73 other veterans and their companions for the one-day journey to our nation’s capital.
“Taking part in this experience took a lot of planning, teamwork, and more than a few early mornings,” shared Anna. “It was a whirlwind trip, but the memories I made with my dad made every moment worthwhile. I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.”
The Honor Flight itself began with a 6 A.M. departure. From the time they landed until starting their return at 6 P.M., the group visited some of the nation’s most meaningful military and historic landmarks, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
But one of the most memorable moments came not from the places they visited, but from the people who made sure the veterans knew their service had not been forgotten.
BDO Colleagues Add a Personal Touch
As Anna prepared for the trip, her colleagues found ways to become part of the experience. Through their association with BDO’s Military & Veterans Alliance inclusion group, Inclusion Senior Manager Peter Lee connected Anna with Administration Market Leader Tony Malba in BDO’s Columbia, Maryland office. Tony, moved by the mission, invited colleagues in McLean, Baltimore, Columbia, Potomac, and Washington, D.C. to write letters to the veterans, including one personally addressed to Werner.
“When Anna shared what she was doing, I knew it was something that would resonate with our inclusion group members,” said Tony. “We sent more than 50 cards, demonstrating a significant commitment to honoring those who served. It was incredibly touching to be able to personally thank the veterans on the Honor Flight.”
The letters were sent out several weeks before Mission 57 so they could be included in one of the Honor Flight’s special traditions: mail call. Anyone who has served in the military knows that those two words can carry powerful memories of hearing from loved ones while serving abroad.
On the return flight, each of the 74 veterans received a minimum of 50 letters expressing gratitude for their service. Anna’s family contributed personal letters of their own, while the messages from BDO colleagues added to the voices of people who had never met the veterans but nevertheless wanted them to know their sacrifices mattered.
Making a Greater Impact Together
Beyond the support of her colleagues, Anna also utilized BDO social impact programs that empower firm professionals to engage with the causes they are most passionate about. She leveraged Matching Gifts, so her charitable contribution was matched dollar for dollar by the firm, and Dollars for Doers, which allowed her to convert her volunteer hours into a monetary donation for Honor Flight of West Central Florida. These programs helped offset her guardian obligation, a contribution made by all guardians in order to participate.
“BDO encourages us to volunteer our time and helps to boost our efforts, giving employees the chance to amplify our impact and experience memorable moments,” Anna added. “It meant so much to have the firm behind me in supporting a cause that is so personal to my family.”
A Welcome Worthy of Their Service
After a full day in Washington, D.C., the Honor Flight arrived back in Florida, where a welcome party of approximately 1,200 people were waiting with signs and cheers. For Werner, the celebration marked the latest chapter in an extraordinary story — from a childhood shaped by war in Germany, to becoming an American teenager, to serving three decades in the U.S. Army, to watching his children proudly continue the family tradition of military service.
And this time, Anna was there not simply as a fellow veteran or loving daughter, but as the person helping to ensure her father received the recognition he had spent a lifetime earning.
His Honor Flight offered a chance to look back on decades of service. It also illustrated something timeless about Veterans Day — honoring veterans is not limited to a single ceremony, memorial, or moment. It happens when families preserve their stories, when communities welcome them home, and when people take the time to say a simple but meaningful "thank you."
For Anna and Werner, Mission 57 brought all those expressions of gratitude together in one unforgettable day. And through letters written hundreds of miles away, BDO colleagues helped ensure that when mail call arrived once more, Werner and his fellow veterans knew their service was remembered.