Thousands of people lined downtown Dallas streets Wednesday to watch the annual Veterans Day parade and say thank you.
Dozens of different groups marched in the parade, including local high school students who one day hope to have military careers, veterans of foreign wars who fought and sacrificed for freedom and family members of fallen service members who proudly held up photos of their loved ones to keep their memories alive.
The parade began at the intersection of Houston and Young streets and ended at City Hall Plaza.
"For me it's still important to be here every time I can and watch this," said Miguel Campos, watching along Main Street.
Campos served in the U.S. Army for two years nearly 20 years ago and said he still has pride of having served the country.
Also watching the parade was Paul Brannish, who just got out of the U.S. Marine Corps three weeks ago.
The Dallas-area native served four years in the Marines as a field radio operator and served a tour of duty in Afghanistan and Kuwait.
Now, he's cheering as a civilian.
"Out here on the sidewalk it's a different point of view, seeing all the people cheering for our veterans and those still serving," he said. "It's very great to see that."
Hundreds of Dallas police officers have military backgrounds, and many of them worked the event from the sidelines, helping with traffic and security.
"We have hundreds of police officers who are veterans, some who are still in the military, some have retired. And many of those guys were working the parade without any fanfare," said Dallas police Maj. Jimmy Vaughan.
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"Most of the guys don't want the attention. They've served their country and they're proud, but you almost have to bring it out of them that they fought overseas before joining the department," he added.
Other officer veterans were able to march in the parade, like Officer Carlos Almeida.
Almeida served in the Marines for five years and served two tours in Iraq. He saw combat action in Fallujah and was badly injured by an improvised explosive device. He later earned the Purple Heart.
He helped hold the Dallas Employees banner during the parade. Almeida said seeing the support from onlookers fills his heart with hope for the future.
"Times right now are rough for police officers, and times definitely used to be rough for veterans as well when they came home. And I'm glad to see that we can all come together, that it's possible to be a community that supports," he said.
Almeida said his discipline and training helped him transition from combat action to working as a police officer.
"You're still serving the community. You're still protecting. So in many ways it's different, but in many ways it's the same," he said. "I think the Marine Corps had really shaped me into the man I am today."
Vaughan has been with the Dallas Police Department for nearly 30 years. After high school and before joining the force, he was active-duty Air Force for several years. He then worked as a logistics officer with the Army.
He's now a lieutenant commander with the Naval Reserves.
"I've served in three different branches over my life," he said. "So Veterans Day for me means a lot. It's about serving our country. And veterans really never get tired of hearing a simple 'thank you,' so today is a wonderful day."
Vaughan deployed to Afghanistan with the Naval Reserves in 2012. He said coming home from a war zone can be a difficult transition for anybody, not just police officers.
"It's a transition you have to adapt and get used to. We don't have rocket attacks over here in the United States like we had over there. People aren't trying to snipe us from a mile away," he said.
"We didn't know who our friends or our enemies were going into those small towns, on conveys."
Vaughan said he came home with new skills for reading dangerous situations and psychologically analyzing people at a scene before a volatile situation erupts.
He also said he developed a better appreciation for the importance of community building.
"Our job is much more peaceful over here in Dallas than fighting in a war overseas. So we understand the importance of building trust and earning respect from our neighbors, and that's something you build over time," Vaughan said.
More than 100 Dallas police officers are active reserve members in the U.S. military.
NBC 5's Todd L. Davis contributed to this report.
