When something breaks, you acknowledge the shock, scratch your head, take stock of the situation, and look for the fastest way to repair the item and put it back into operation. The pressure to repair quickly is understandable, but common sense suggests stopping for a moment and trying to understand what caused the break before attempting the repair.

Editor's Note: The U.S. remembers its armed forces' veterans twice each year— Memorial Day in May and Veterans Day in November. In this article, Marty Rice, a reader-favorite author on thefabricator.com, pays tribute to veterans and describes how one metal sculptor chose to represent an important part of a serviceman's or — woman's life.

When I entered the manufacturing work force more than 34 years ago, the work environment, work force, and the future of U.S. manufacturing looked a whole lot different.