Veterans Day: A National Holiday

Why we honor those that sacrificed so much.

It started with the French during the French and Indian War. Next it was the British during our Revolutionary War. The British tried again during the War of 1812. Then in 1861 it was the Confederacy that took up arms and tried succession.  Along came the Spanish American War, quickly followed by World War I, and then World War II. 

Korea marked the first time we called something a “Police Action”.  Soon we were engaged in the undeclared Vietnam War which lasted ten years.

In the 1980’s we engaged in two small skirmishes in Granada , as well as Panama that each lasted less than two days.

In addition from the end of World War II in 1945 until  the 9^th of November 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down, we were in a “Cold War” with the Soviet Union. Make no mistake there were lives lost on both sides during what came to be known as the Cold War.

In 1991 we engaged in what was called the Gulf War, the 100 hour war or “Desert Storm.”

Then we followed the 9/11 attack on America with an attack on Afghanistan, which we immediately followed with our attack on Iraq or Gulf War II.

We are still engaged in Afghanistan and Iraq with no end to either conflict in sight.

OUR NATION'S PLEDGE
by Doyle F. Wheeler ,  A Vietnam Combat Veteran
To each of you our soldiers,
we make this solemn pledge:
Our nation stands beside you, in the battles that lie ahead.
While the guns are blazing, and you are off at war,
You have our pledge that we’ll protect your families,
until you are home with them once more!

Our debt to you our soldiers, is one we won't forget.
We've learned our errors of the past, with haunting deep regret!

As you enter battle, on this you can depend,
our nation stands behind you, until the very end!
When the war is over and the fighting ends,
we pledge that we'll not forget our soldiers
once again!

Our nation will remember our great debt
to each of you!
We further pledge we'll not forget,
what war has put you through!

This was read before the United States Congress & Senate during the build up before Gulf War I by then Senator Brock Adams.  At the conclusion of the reading the Congressman & Senators applauded and it was read into the Congressional Record of the United States.

To its author this since not a single Congressman or Senator objected to its inclusion in the record this signaled at the very least a tacit approval of the sentiment of the Pledge.

Imagine the author’s surprise when the soldiers from Gulf War I had to stand alone again and fight for the benefits from the effects of was to become labeled as “Gulf War Syndrome.” While all the while shade of the twenty year battle Vietnam Agent Orange veterans had fought.

All of that support from those flag waving masses ended with the welcome home parade. It was ten years of lies before the Pentagon admitted that soldiers were exposed to Nerve gas, were exposed to Depleted Uranium, were exposed Tick Fever from bite of ticks and fleas.  Before it was admitted that the massive amounts of Hydrocarbons released by hundreds of burning oil wells might have in fact have contributed to the soldier’s health problems.

The majority of patriotic flag waving American stood idly by well the Congressman & Senator ran for cover. Lives were lost, families were destroyed, children were born with lifelong birth defects while those that served their country with honor and dignity were left to ask what happened to all that support America promised us?

As  civilians and former service members we can freely debate the merits of us having engaged in any of these conflicts, because our freedom of speech is one of those cherished rights that soldiers have died to protect.

Almost everything we do within a free democracy, we do because someone paid for the right for us to enjoy the freedom to do as we do with their life or blood, or both.

Some veterans  believe that the majority of Americans live their lives taking for granted all of the sacrifices that have and are taking place on their behalf.

So sadly one day a year we’ve set aside to remember, to reflect, and to honor those people that have and are making such a tremendous sacrifice for our right to enjoy our freedoms.

On that day some people actually stop to think and remember those loved ones lost, those friends, the comrades in arms that didn’t make it home. By and large those people doing that honoring are themselves veterans.

To most, certainly not all, Veterans Days in just another day off from work, or a day to get time and half for working. But to those that have engaged in combat, that seen the horrors of war it’s a day to remember those friends they served with, both the one’s lost and one’s lucky enough to make it home.