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VETERANS DAY 2005 in America and around the world... holidays come and go, year after year. On
Tuesday evening as my wife and I were preparing to leave a restaurant, a young woman - probably around 16
- pointed to the insignia on my jacket and asked, "What's that? The National Guard?" I replied,
"No, it is the Korean War Veterans."
She said, "Oh yeah, my grandpa was in Korea, I think! You guys won, didn't you?" I thought a moment
and said "We're alive - we won!"
I have been thinking about her question and my answer since then. On VETERANS DAY, like most other patriotic
holidays, thoughts will usually turn to those who have perished in battle, KIAs and MIAs.
Each of the brave men whom destiny and the military assignment systems conspired to end their life, are
honored by special days set aside for recognition. VETERANS DAY is for honoring all who have ever served,
living and dead. A veteran is one who served the nation for days, months, years, or forever with his/her
life and as a consequence became a VETERAN, afterwards - FOR OVER 230 YEARS NOW!
This past month we have featured special tributes on our website to the passing of great Americans -
KWVA members Ted Magill (Silver Star for Heroism), Reg Myers and Joe Rodriguez (Medal of Honor recipients).
They were great men.
Jim Stone and Ron Rosser, also MOH recipients, who met with us at the Annual Convention, are great men
of battle, and great Americans today. Heroes are all around us. The larger the heroic status, the less likely
that most Americans will even notice them. But we who have served have a great status in common with these
men and all others who have served honorably: WE ARE VETERANS.
A better answer to the young woman Tuesday evening would have been, "All who honorably possess the name
'VETERAN,' won! At difficult times, in difficult places, under difficult conditions - or in better times,
in better places, under more favorable conditions - WE BORE TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE, WE later BECAME VETERANS,
AND WE ARE WINNERS!"
America, the nation which has actually disliked and neglected its military forces since 1776, has produced
the finest VETERANS in history. So, thank you, each and every VETERAN for your service wherever, however,
and whenever. You are WINNERS! AND, because of you AMERICA HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH VICTORY, PEACE, AND PROSPERITY
for these 230 years. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/proc2005.htm
http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/
National President
