Americans all over the world will observe Veterans Day tomorrow, and while it is wonderful that this day is set aside to honor those that have gone to battle to protect our lives and freedoms, we should make sure that this is not the only time we reflect on the selfless sacrifice of these heroic men and women.
The debt we owe to our nation’s veterans cannot be fully repaid by setting aside a couple holidays every year. We can never remunerate with praise and platitudes what was originally given in blood and sweat.
Americans have never hesitated to heed the call of duty. From the battles that led to the birth of our nation, to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the tapestry of U.S. history has been woven by our servicemen and women.
It is history that gives further significance to this day. Veterans Day was once known as Armistice Day – recognizing the end of World War I.
The saying has become trite – “on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month” – but the significance remains the same. Years of brutal fighting brought to an end. The War to End All Wars was over. It was a day of solemn celebration throughout the world.
However, it wasn’t the end to all wars, or even all major wars. Since the first Armistice Day, U.S. troops have been engaged in major conflicts in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
As an acknowledgment of the continuing sacrifices of our country’s veterans, the federal government changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954. Since then, it’s been an opportunity to appreciate the sacrifices made by the nation’s nearly 25 million veterans.
Although today is now called Veterans Day, the original name reminds us of the true purpose of our nation’s military. These men and women do not serve to start wars but to end them, to bring about armistice – peace.
We owe too much to those who have answered the call of duty to forget about them 364 days out of the year. So on this special day and everyday, take a moment to think about those heroic men and women around the world that put their lives on the line so that we may continue to live in a free society.
