Think of a war veteran and the image that pops into your head will no doubt be of an old man. That is the perception.
The reality is that all over the country there are veterans in their teens and their twenties.
The days of grandad's stories of the war are fading, it is now sons, daughters, and grandchildren who are engaged in conflict, and prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of their country.
They, and their families, are the reason why Armed Forces Day is so important.
It is particularly poignant here in the Westcountry, home to historic garrison towns, Devonport Dockyard, the Royal Marine bases at Plymouth, Lympstone and Taunton, as well as airfields and aerodromes.
Armed Forces Day is an opportunity to do two things. Firstly, to raise public awareness of the contribution made to our country by those who serve and have served in Her Majesty's Armed Forces. Secondly, it gives all of us an opportunity to show our support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community: from currently serving troops to service families and from veterans to cadets.
It is all too easy in today's fast-paced world to forget about those serving in Afghanistan, or those away at sea.
It is even easier to forget about their families, who live with their absence and every day wake up with a sense of dread, and who feel fear every time the phone rings or there is a knock at their door.
In his interview with the Western Morning News today Chief Petty Officer Bill Taylor sums it up: "It's so important the public doesn't forget what its armed services have done for their peace and security. The families of service personnel must also be honoured because they too make sacrifices."
The armed forces are woven deep into all of the Westcountry's communities. Servicemen and women from our communities will today be all over the world fighting terrorism, promoting peace, or tackling drug smugglers.
While the streets of Plymouth will today be crammed with well-wishers and supporters eager to see the military parades and displays, there will also be smaller events all over the South West.
If you get the chance to show your support, make the most of the opportunity.
Our servicemen and women are those who defend, and display, some of the best of British values.
Sacrifice, courage, patriotism, and the defence of freedom are values and qualities we should all be proud of.
But their defence does not always come cheaply.
As CPO Taylor told us: "We should never forget those we lost, those who suffered dreadful injuries and those who made it back in one piece but have to live with the painful memories." He is of course right. And we should never underestimate the contribution of their families.