Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day to all who swore the military oath, served honorably and made themselves available to a grateful nation. God bless America - Jim Blasingame

Veterans Day
Veterans Day

image by: Public Domain - CrimsonScholar

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On Veteran’s Day, We Should Recognize All Who Served

Veterans Day, as we know it, has its origins in Armistice Day.

“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.”

That was the 1919 acknowledgment by President Wilson on the first anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended WWI “in the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.” Congress made Armistice Day a federal holiday on November 11, 1938.

But after World War II, Alvin King, a small business owner in Emporia, Kansas, had a problem with the narrowness of those honored on Armistice Day. Al was…

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Featured

 A Long-Deserved Tribute to Native American Veterans

Native Americans’ service to the U.S. is a most enduring and complicated sacrifice of self, framed in a promise to uphold a government that has historically targeted, swindled and decimated their communities several times over. And still, Indigenous people have served valiantly in every major conflict, every capacity, every generation since a formalized military was raised in 1775 for what became the Revolutionary War.

Articles of Interest

Is There a Better Way to Observe Veterans Day?

Other countries offer models for truly nationwide tributes to military service and sacrifice.

The One Thing You Should Read Today, on Veterans Day

It is this extraordinary report, by Brian Castner, published today in Motherboard. It is called “One Degree of Separation in the Forever War,” and I promise you will find it worth the time, and later reflection.

A Veterans Day 'thanks' for our service is a sorry stand-in for honest talk about war

Being the victim of ‘excessive gratitude’ might sound like a trivial complaint, but uncomfortable exchanges are symptomatic of a deeper problem.

Because Our Fathers Lied

Remembering our veterans and reflecting on the glorious ambiguity of Rudyard Kipling’s war poetry.

For Veterans Day, Some Former Military Officers Reflect on Lessons From Their Parents

The values that shaped them include leadership, optimism and charting your own course.

How Did Armistice Day Become Veterans Day in the United States?

The holiday, which originally marked the end of World War I, was broadened in the 1950s to honor all veterans.

How you can help veterans every day

On this Veterans Day, by all means, let’s thank veterans for their service. But perhaps we could challenge ourselves to go further and do service on behalf of others.

Ponder the Rewards of Military Service

Civilians don’t always understand what compels warriors to sacrifice and endure.

Remembering The 1st Veterans Memorialized By Veterans Day

Veterans Day began as a commemoration of World War I, that 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 when the guns were silenced and the armistice was called and peace came at last.

These Are Veterans Day Lessons Your Students Won't Forget

As an educator with a veteran in the family, teaching kids about Veterans Day is very important to me. I want students to understand the true meaning of this holiday, which honors military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Now more than ever, we need to recognize and honor the brave men and women who fought for our country.

Veterans Day Facts

Unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans—living or dead—but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.

Veterans Day review – prophetic tale of the horrors of war

A Vietnam vet plots to kill the US president in a tense three-hander that trains a spotlight on human rights abuses and ex-soldiers’ mental health

Veterans Day should actually be about serving veterans

Schools and communities shouldn't just shut down to honor veterans' service. They should turn Veterans Day into an opportunity to serve veterans and military families in need. After all, unlike Memorial Day, which honors the war dead, Veterans Day exists to honor all former members of the armed services.

Veterans Day: How World War I Changed The Meaning Of "the Glamour Of Battle"

Military glamour is among the most ancient forms. From Achilles, David, and Alexander through knights, samurai, admirals, and airmen, warriors have been icons of masculine glamour, exemplifying courage, prowess, and patriotic significance.

What It’s Like to Be an Iraq War Veteran on Veterans Day

From fielding questions from his six-year-old son about Veterans Day to speaking to an auditorium full of college kids, Iraq war veteran Colby Buzzell has made the rounds.

‘The Tragedy of the American Military’ Remains

In the United States, November 11 is Veterans Day, to honor all those who have worn the nation’s uniform. (Memorial Day, in May, is the U.S. counterpart to Britain’s Remembrance Day, to honor those who died in service.)

Resources

5 Facts to Know About Veterans Day

Veterans Day is a well-known American holiday, but there are also a few misconceptions about it — like how it’s spelled or whom exactly it celebrates. To clear some of that up, here are the important facts you should know.

Military.com

Veterans Day is a time for us to pay our respects to those who have served. For one day, we stand united in respect for you, our veterans. This holiday started as a day to reflect upon the heroism of those who died in our country's service and was originally called Armistice Day. It fell on Nov. 11 because that is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. However, in 1954, the holiday was changed to "Veterans Day" in order to account for all veterans in all wars.

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