Beyond the Uniform: What Veterans Day Really Means
David Freund
Today is Veterans Day. But what does that really mean?
Is it simply another day off from work, when schools are closed and there’s a little extra time to go shopping? Or is there something much more significant about this day?
Where did it all begin? Who decided that November 11 should be the day we honor our veterans? To understand that we need to go back to 1918. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the fighting in World War I came to an end as an armistice took effect. One year later, in 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day to commemorate the end of what was then called the Great War. In 1938, November 11 became a federal holiday. In 1954, Congress expanded the observance to honor all American veterans, officially establishing Veterans Day.
But let’s go back to my original question. What does Veterans Day really mean?
Yes, it’s a time of remembrance and gratitude. But I wonder if, far too often, our remembrance focuses on those whose names stand out in the history books. Those who have received the accolades of our nation and whose accomplishments have been celebrated for generations. Men like George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. They deserve to be remembered and honored. But were they the only heroes?
What about the countless veterans who served faithfully, yet whose names will never appear in the history books of our great nation? What about the young men and women who left their homes, their families, and everything familiar to serve in places they had never seen? And what about the families they left behind? The spouses who said goodbye, not knowing when or if their loved ones would return. The children who missed birthdays, holidays, and countless special moments with a parent who was serving halfway around the world. The parents who waited anxiously for a phone call or letter, praying for the safe return of their son or daughter. Aren’t they heroes, too? I believe they are.
The freedom we enjoy today wasn’t secured by a handful of famous generals or decorated heroes alone. It was secured by generations of ordinary men and women who were willing to do extraordinary things. People who answered the call to serve, often at great personal sacrifice. And standing behind so many of those veterans were families who made sacrifices of their own.
Today, on this Veterans Day, and in all the days that follow, let’s make a special effort to thank our veterans and their families not simply with words, but with actions. I love how some airlines invite active-duty military personnel to board their flights early. It’s a small gesture, but one that communicates respect and appreciation.
Perhaps the next time you see someone on active duty at a restaurant or coffee shop, you might consider picking up their tab. Take a moment to say thank you. And don’t forget to thank their families as well. After all, these are the men and women who have been willing to put their lives on the line and make sacrifices so that we might enjoy the freedoms we sometimes take for granted.
They have already picked up a tab for our freedom that we can never fully repay.
To all our veterans and their families, thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your love of country.
God bless you all, and God bless America!