Opinion : Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month

On the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month of 1918 the “Great War” ended.  The trenches of Europe finally emptied.  A killing field that saw every manner of death – from bare hands to blades to guns to artillery to aerial bombs to poison gas ended after 4 years, 35,000 miles of trenches and an estimated 30 million dead.  It is remembered in Commonwealth countries as “Remembrance Day”.  In the United States, it became “Armistice Day” – the day the “Guns Went Silent”.   In 1938, it became a national holiday.  And in 1954, it gained its current name – “Veterans Day”.  A day set aside to honor all veterans. 

I’d like to spend a bit talking about what it means to be a “Veteran”.  There’s been a description that’s popped up over the years that is a bit flippant, yet is also quite accurate.  A vet is a person who has written a “check” to their country for everything they have up to and including their life.  From the Revolutionary War to GWOT an estimated 1,187,914 have given their lives in the defense of what today we call the United States of America.  They are the casualties of war.

Those that lived . . . those that returned to their homes and their families . . . they are our Veterans.  Some are horribly mangled.  Most can cover their scars.  All are changed. 

I remember packing my high school gym bag – the recruiter was very clear – BRING NOTHING but a change of underwear.  Bus rides, plane rides, another bus ride and Basic.  Each branch with their own basic tailored to their specific needs.  Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines – all with individual functions, yet all need to work together to defend our nation.

Basic is followed by various schools for the specific job the branch placed you in.  Some are fairly short while others can take upwards of a year or more.  They all end with your first “Duty Station”.  That place depends entirely on “the times”.  After 9/11 the GWOT had entered high gear.  From Kuwait to Afghanistan, it has cost us over 7,000 and left many to carry the burdens of the results of combat.  In my day it was Viet Nam and a host of global stations all focused on keeping the lid on a nuclear war.  For those who have served, surviving wounds, memories or both – they have paid a tremendous price.

I’ve watched interviews of the veterans of D-Day as they walked the beaches of Normandy and the towns of France, Germany, Holland and the major battlefields of Europe.  Simply put, they are still “there” and have remained so all their lives.  The same can be said for the survivors of the Pacific, Korea, Vietnam, all the “silent” actions that our government has sent folks to, as well as the veterans of the GWOT.  There are times when true peace can be hard to find for a vet.  Sounds and smells can easily take them to past experiences and moments of anger, fear or terror are lived once again.  And, will be again.  It is simply part of the price.

Because our veterans paid that price, we live in one of the safest countries in the world.  Because there are still Americans willing to write their “check,”  we remain the “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave”.

It is worth remembering ALL our vets' histories, past and present, back to the original 5 lives claimed by the “Thin Red Line”.  I pray that our country continues to produce such brave and dedicated souls as these.  To those living and remembering – thank you for your service and welcome home. 

To those who have passed – thank you for your service.  We will not forget your sacrifice.

Respectfully,

Bill Keller