Our strength is not just in the size of our defense budget, but in the size of our hearts, in the size of our gratitude for their sacrifice. And that’s not just measured in words or gestures.

Granholm contrasts material measures of national security (the defense budget) with moral and civic measures (compassion, gratitude, and sustained care for those who serve). The quote argues that a country’s “strength” is not only deterrence and hardware but also the character it shows toward service members and their families—especially after sacrifice. By adding that gratitude is “not just measured in words or gestures,” she implies that ceremonial praise is insufficient unless matched by concrete commitments (e.g., benefits, health care, reintegration support, and long-term remembrance). The line functions as a call to translate patriotic sentiment into durable public responsibility.