(Radio Iowa) – The new executive director of the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs gave the keynote speech during a cold, windy Veterans Day ceremony today (Friday) at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery near Van Meter. Todd Jacobus is a veteran, and says service members entered the military in different ways.

He says that the oath was to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Jacobus says that service makes our world a safer place.

Iowa Veterans Affairs Director Todd Jacobus

Jacobus says without Americans willing to volunteer for service, our diplomatic rulers would not be in a position to engage in the diplomacy required to prevent armed conflict.

Jacobus was appointed by the governor to lead the Veterans Affairs Department, and he is also the commandant of the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown. He is a retired Colonel of the United States Army and Iowa Army National Guard, serving 33 years and taking part in three overseas missions.