Take a look around the community today and you will notice something special.
In Darlington, the high school will be having a Veterans Day salute. In Monroe, the Zilmer-Riley American Legion Post No. 84 and its Auxiliary Unit are cooking up a Veterans Day dinner, and there are scores of other events planned around the area and state to honor military veterans who sacrificed years of their lives, countless injuries and terrible memories to protect this country.
Aside from the chance to thank someone for military service, what makes this day so special is its ability to unite a country in something beyond a difficult consensus on a federal health care reform plan, or even something as enjoyable as following your favorite football team on Sundays. In each of these endeavors, while important in their own ways, there still is division. Many people want to fix health care, but you might not support the same health care plan as a friend. And, who likes the Minnesota Vikings anyway?
However, no one should argue or disagree with the service our veterans have given us over the years, whether it was in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, peacekeeping efforts in Rwanda, the first Gulf War, and now in the Iraq War and in Afghanistan.
This country should truly be united in support of our veterans regardless of one's feelings about any of our country's current or past entanglements.
As if a reason is needed, here are a few examples of the risk today's veterans have faced over the decades in terms of the number of American soldiers killed in wars, according to the federal Department of Veterans Affairs: World War II, 405,399; Korean War, 36,576 and Vietnam War, 58,200.
Today is a chance to honor and thank our veterans. It is celebrated every year in America on the anniversary of the armistice to end World War I - the 11th hour, Nov. 11, 1918.
As evidenced above, the risk veterans have taken has been incredible. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers never had the chance to be honored on Veterans Day.
Now, as the White House may be gearing up to send 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan, the risk to soldiers is being brought to the forefront again.
With prayers and hope they all return safely to be honored on a future Veterans Day:
Thank you vets, we might not be enjoying the freedom we have were it not for you.
In Darlington, the high school will be having a Veterans Day salute. In Monroe, the Zilmer-Riley American Legion Post No. 84 and its Auxiliary Unit are cooking up a Veterans Day dinner, and there are scores of other events planned around the area and state to honor military veterans who sacrificed years of their lives, countless injuries and terrible memories to protect this country.
Aside from the chance to thank someone for military service, what makes this day so special is its ability to unite a country in something beyond a difficult consensus on a federal health care reform plan, or even something as enjoyable as following your favorite football team on Sundays. In each of these endeavors, while important in their own ways, there still is division. Many people want to fix health care, but you might not support the same health care plan as a friend. And, who likes the Minnesota Vikings anyway?
However, no one should argue or disagree with the service our veterans have given us over the years, whether it was in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, peacekeeping efforts in Rwanda, the first Gulf War, and now in the Iraq War and in Afghanistan.
This country should truly be united in support of our veterans regardless of one's feelings about any of our country's current or past entanglements.
As if a reason is needed, here are a few examples of the risk today's veterans have faced over the decades in terms of the number of American soldiers killed in wars, according to the federal Department of Veterans Affairs: World War II, 405,399; Korean War, 36,576 and Vietnam War, 58,200.
Today is a chance to honor and thank our veterans. It is celebrated every year in America on the anniversary of the armistice to end World War I - the 11th hour, Nov. 11, 1918.
As evidenced above, the risk veterans have taken has been incredible. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers never had the chance to be honored on Veterans Day.
Now, as the White House may be gearing up to send 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan, the risk to soldiers is being brought to the forefront again.
With prayers and hope they all return safely to be honored on a future Veterans Day:
Thank you vets, we might not be enjoying the freedom we have were it not for you.
