Value to Acknowledging Our Veterans

It was a great honor to be named the 2020/2021 Veteran of the Year for San Diego County, the 5th largest county in the Nation, with the 3rd highest population of veterans. I have been working to serve our military and veterans now for the past 11 years, with eight of that full-time. In doing this, I am able to look back at my youth and my service, at my father's service, my brother's service, and all those tens of thousands I meet in my daily happenings, with a different perspective. Post-service, with time, you can get far enough away from the military to see how much of your life your service took from you, how it changed you, and how it was your gift to our Nation. So, as Veterans Day approaches, I wanted to explain a little about Veterans Day itself, what goes through the mind of our veterans, and why it is important that we acknowledge their gift of service.

Our nation’s first President and great military leader, George Washington, once explained the necessity of intentionally supporting the veteran. The words attributed to him read, “The willingness with which our young people - are likely to serve in a war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional - to how they perceive - how the veterans of the earlier wars - were treated and appreciated by their nation.” 

We have an all-volunteer military, and many agree it works best that way. People volunteer to join our military; they think about how they will be treated after their service. It is already hard to choose a path where you risk all, harder yet if it provides no safety-net. 

Few other jobs, if any, require greater risk, personal sacrifice, family disruption, emotional distress, time demands, and psychological impact than the job of a Marine, Sailor, Airman, Soldier, or a Coast Guardsman, in today’s military. 

And yet today, we have about 1.1 million men and women who proudly and voluntarily wear our country’s cloth; who have taken the oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies – at all costs. These courageous people need to believe that – no matter what happens to them – they will be supported after they accomplish their tour of duty. This is for their sake and for the next generation’s sake. 

WHAT IS VETERAN’S DAY?

World War I started a century ago and it was to be the War that ended all wars. Never had the world seen such carnage and brutality. It ended with the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. However, hostilities had stopped with the signing of an armistice seven months earlier. This armistice went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the year 1918.

“To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day - will be filled with solemn pride - in the heroism of those who died and with the gratitude for the victory…” remarked President Wilson when he declared the 11th of November to be Armistice Day in 1919. 

Congress supported President Wilson’s declaration, saying, “it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date - should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations…”

In 1938, Armistice Day became a legal holiday to honor veterans of World War I.

In 1954, in the post- World War II environment, Armistice Day was renamed to Veterans Day to honor veterans of all wars. 

One of my favorite presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, said something very bold: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood…”

Ladies and gentlemen, our veterans have been in the arena;

And unless you have served – it is very hard to imagine the depth and magnitude of the hardships that our veterans endured and still carry with them.

So, Veteran’s Day is a day of celebration to honor America’s veterans.  A day to honor their patriotism, their love of country, and their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the noblest of all causes, the common good.

With that, I encourage all of you to, as Congress put it, 

“Commemorate this date- with thanksgiving and prayers and honor veterans of all wars.” 

And to my veteran sisters and brothers listening…

To those who have entered the arena, and whose faces have been marred

by dust and sweat and blood in the name of this great country…

To those who have endured personal sacrifice to defend the Constitution of the United States from all her enemies, 

I say to you, 

‘Thank You for your service.’