The following was found on the website of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…".
It was not until 1954 that the word Armistice was replaced with the word Veterans to honor the United States Veterans of all wars. Veterans of all wars. That encompasses a lot of people. Throughout my life I have not had an immediate family member to serve in the military, so I can only imagine the life of those soldiers and their families at home working and going to school, just waiting for their return.
I have had several cousins and friends to serve in the military and also 2 great-uncles to serve in the Army during War World II. I also just learned last year that my 5th great grandfather was a Veteran of the American Revolution. I am so proud and very grateful to all of these members of my family for their service and their strength, and the time they spent protecting and fighting for our nation. I'm not sure of the percentage and I didn't take the time to look but I know that through history, our nation's rural residents have made up a large percentage of our military. This is just another reason why I'm so proud of rural America and our farming communities.
This day should not be taken lightly or looked upon as a possible day off. We REALLY do need to remember our veterans and be thankful for the freedoms we have today and be mindful of how quickly our freedoms can be taken away without those soldiers fighting and standing watch over our great nation.
As Veterans Day 2015 is here, I ask that you take the time to say "Thank You" to any veterans you know and/or see tomorrow and especially to those men and women currently serving in the military. It warms my heart to see our military service men and women and have the opportunity to thank them for their service throughout the year. Tomorrow, there will be parades, school programs, and other community events to recognize and honor our veterans. Make the time to be there and thank the veterans in your family and in your community. All you need to do is watch the national news and see hardships of so many people that have left their country, walked for miles for weeks, to get to a land of freedom. We have freedom. We have so many to thank, and we also need to keep fighting so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy the freedoms we enjoy.
