Our soldiers make extraordinary sacrifices every day. In a sense, Veterans Day is underrated because there is no way we can honor them enough.
Many of us here at KSU have parents who are in the military. My father served in the U.S. Navy from 1983 to 1987; luckily he didn’t serve during a time of war. However, there are fathers and mothers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Students and staff are waiting for Thanksgiving break. Some places have already put Christmas decorations on display. Veterans Day can go seemingly unnoticed next to these two giant holidays. Sure we see it on the news and veterans might get a free meal from a restaurant chain, but how can we really thank our veterans?
In some cases, a family member from every generation has served since World War I, not long before the idea for Veterans Day was conceived in “November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day,” according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. This marked the one year anniversary of the cease fire between Germany and the Allied nations to put an end to World War I, known then as the Great War.
With the devastation of World War II fresh in American minds, Armistice Day was legally amended to become Veterans Day on June 1, 1954.
Unlike Memorial Day, people don’t usually go out of town to visit family or have barbecues. How do we celebrate Veterans Day? Harrison Pennybaker writes it is customary that “a moment of silence is observed at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, a time when individuals are meant to reflect on the gift given by war veterans.”
On face value, this holiday is more symbolic than festive. The objective of Veterans Day is to honor all of the veterans who have served around the world. The U.S. isn’t the only country who observes Nov. 11 as a day to commemorate veterans. Many of the countries that fought in WWI observe Nov. 11 as a national holiday to their veterans.
“In 1921, the United States of America followed France and England by laying to rest the remains of a World War I American soldier,” said Rob Powers, “his name ‘known but to God’ … This site became known as the ‘Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,’ and today is called the ‘Tomb of the Unknowns.’”
I believe that the best way to celebrate this great holiday is to watch a movie or to spend the day with a loved one who served in the military. This way we share our time, something that is highly valuable to many Americans.
Our soldiers live a way of life that doesn’t mirror civilian life. People volunteer their lives and rights in order to protect our nation, loved ones, and even those they have never met. There are a lot of people who truly honor our veterans; however, we can have a national holiday every day, and Veterans Day will still be underrated.
Brandon White, Junior
Communication Major
