Veteran's Day

Veteran’s Day

It was the war to end all wars.  World War I.  And on the 11^th day of the 11^th month at 11 o’clock it ended.  Armistice day, or as we now know it – Veteran’s Day.

My dad was a veteran.  He signed up to do his duty as so many other young men during WWII did.  He never saw any real action unless you call a pick-off play to second base "action."  You see he served as an MP in the army during the occupation of Japan but his MOS was baseball!  He and many other young men were assigned to play and the army used it as a way to build positive relationships with the Japanese people post WWII hostilities.  It was public relations, and it worked.

Looking back over the decades and into the new century, the veterans of our wars (too many since the original Armistice) have not had it easy.  The traumas associated with war have only come to light in recent years even though they were experienced since war began.  PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, loss of limbs, paralysis and other maladies have affected our soldiers…and their families.

During the Vietnam war veterans returned to an insensitive nation that did not understand the need to be fighting to preserve the freedom of the Vietnamese.  Even I do not fully understand it today, but the lack of respect they received upon their return left an indelible mark.

Many changes have come since those days and, as we honor each Veteran’s Day, we seem to get a deeper understanding of the commitment of our men and women who serve and have served.  We do not always agree with the government and their decisions to send soldiers into harm’s way, but in the year 2014 it seems as though we have learned to separate the wiles of men and women behind marble walls and the camo clad foot soldier that stays readily alert every second of every day they are on the battlefield.

I did not serve.  I often regret, for various reasons, not serving.  I missed out on the comradery, the brotherhood, the family.  But I thank those who serve.  For without the brave men and women of our armed forces, we would not be free. 

We need to remember the sacrifice every time we do some mundane activity that we take for granted.  Because many do not get the opportunity.