As some of you may already know, today is Veterans Day. We honor all those who have served in our United States Armed Forces–the Army, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the Air Force, and the Coast Guard. They are the protectors and preservers of this great nation. They have accomplished so much and sacrificed so much for us. They deserve every bit of recognition we can give them.
The origins of Veterans Day go back to November 11th, 1919, which was the day that President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day. The day marked the occasion one year previous–on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918–when major hostilities between the Allied forces and Germany ceased and World War I began to draw to a close. A 1938 Act of Congress made Armistice Day a legal federal holiday.
With World War II and the Korean War leading to the addition of millions more military vets, there was a push by veterans and veterans organizations to change the holiday from recognizing only veterans of the First World War to recognizing all military veterans. In 1954, Congress passed a bill that switched Armistice Day to Veterans Day, which President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed. He issued the first Veterans Day proclamation on November 11th the same year, and the holiday has been celebrated every year since then.
I would like to take this opportunity to bring some attention to an amazing organization called Honor Flight, which is a non-profit group that gives our aging veterans what could be their only chance to see the memorials built in their honor at the nation’s capital. Hundreds of World War II vets are passing away every day, and in the matter of only a few years, none will be left to see these monuments to their heroic efforts. Honor Flight also helps Korean War and terminally ill veterans get to visit Washington, D.C. More people should be aware of the great things the Honor Flight volunteers do and try to support their cause, if possible.
In the interest of disclosure, I admit that my reason for mentioning Honor Flight is personal, in part. My mother is an Air Force veteran from the Korean War era. Though she didn’t actually go to Korea, she provided overseas administrative support toward the wartime efforts. She’s on the waiting list for Honor Flight, and I’m hoping that if/when she gets to go, I’ll get to be her guardian. I think it would be an unforgettable experience.
Here’s a video that shows what the group does.
So as President Eisenhower proclaimed 61 years ago, “let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.”
Thank you to all of the United States of America’s military veterans for your invaluable services to this country. May you never be found for needing, because the amount that we citizens owe you for our safety and freedom cannot be measured.
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By the way, there are all sorts of deals that restaurants and other retailers are giving to veterans and active-duty members of the military today. Take a look around online for places where you can get discounts or even freebies. Here’s one list of those places I was able to find. I’m sure most vets were already aware of these deals, but I thought I would remind anyone who has forgotten.
For example, Hooters is giving away a free burger, sandwich, or chicken-wing meal to active-duty and retired military service members today.
You’re welcome. And again, thank you.
