“We Honor Our Veterans” — An enlightening essay on the history and meaning of Veterans Day from MRFF Board Member and retired Army Brigadier General John Compere
“VETERANS DAY” is our annual national holiday on November 11th honoring military veterans. This recognition of our military veterans pays tribute to those patriotic men and women, living or deceased, who served our country honorably in the US Armed Forces during war or peace for any length of service and are no longer serving. It also includes Reservists or National Guard members who have been called to active duty or have been disabled during duty or training. There are 18 million veterans living in the United States (Pew Research).
The genesis for Veterans Day was the World War I armistice declared at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. Originally commemorated as Armistice Day in 1919 by congressional resolution and presidential proclamation, it became Veterans Day in 1954 by federal law enacted by Congress and signed by President Dwight Eisenhower.
Veterans Day is a legal federal holiday and official flag display day pursuant to 5 United States Code 6103. All federal government offices are closed. State, county and city governments are requested to fly the American flag. Flag handling requirements are found at 4 United States Code 1. The correct spelling is the attributive “Veterans Day” with no apostrophe (i.e. Veterans’ Day and Veteran’s Day are incorrect).
Parades, ceremonies, celebrations and events honoring our veterans are held throughout the country. A ceremonial wreath laying by our President is held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery (also on Memorial Day).
The 2024 Veterans Day theme is “A Legacy of Loyalty and Service”. Veterans take pride in their service of defending our Nation. The military value and tradition of answering the call to duty and serving to protect our way of life and the Constitution of the United States of America is a distinct honor. Americans are encouraged to consider the Veteran history of loyalty and service to our Nation and the honor owed them for fulfilling those patriotic duties.
“Veterans Day” should not be confused with “Memorial Day” on the last Monday in May memorializing military members who gave their lives in the service of our country or “Armed Forces Day” on the 3rd Saturday in May honoring men and women currently serving in the military. Veterans Day is for those who hung up their uniform, Memorial Day is for those who never made it out of their uniform and Armed Forces Day is for those still serving in their uniform. We recognize three distinct military service categories with three different national observances.
The military service sworn oath is to support, defend and bear true faith and allegiance to “the Constitution of the United States”.Military veterans know it is the affirmation that we are one nation under the Constitution and it is the Constitution in which we trust. Fidelity to our secular Constitution was an essential element of their faithful service as it continues to be for all military men and women serving today.
“The US military swears to protect the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We don’t take an oath to a king or a queen, or to a tyrant or a dictator. And we do not take an oath to a wannabe dictator. We don’t take an oath to an individual. We take an oath to the Constitution, and we take an oath to the idea that is America, and we’re willing to die to protect it.” – General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and America’s top military officer (retirement speech, September 29, 2023).
“This Veterans Day we honor the generations of women and men who have served and sacrificed – not for a person, a place or a President – but for an idea unlike any other: the idea of the United States of America. For nearly 250 years, our veterans have defended the values that make us strong so that our Nation could stand as a citadel of liberty, a beacon of freedom, and a wellspring of possibilities.” – President Joe Biden (Veterans Day Proclamation 2023).
Veterans Day is a special time for honoring those men and women who have rendered honorable military service to the United States of America. Their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good are the reasons Americans continue to have the independence, freedom and democracy we cherish and enjoy today.
John Compere
Brigadier General, US Army (Retired)
Disabled American Veteran (Vietnam Era)
Board Member, Military Religious Freedom Foundation
Texas rancher
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I don’t honor any veteran whether he/she is in the reserves, active duty, retired, and/or National Guard since many of them voted for Republicans for the last 45 years, some of them participated in the 1/6 insurrection plus many of them became cops and violated people’s rights on a daily basis.
As a whole, I honor veterans. My late husband was a veteran.
A note: the number of humans who served their country and now are trying to subvert democracy is slight in comparison to those who continue to honor their oath of service even though no longer considered active duty.
As far as I’m concerned those who broke their oath of service by supporting all things MAGA or nationalist Christian are equal to or lesser than anyone who deserted the military; by breaking their oath they should no longer be considered a part of the military therefore they aren’t a veteran.
To me this is a very black and white issue, no room for grey. Either you support the Constitution or you don’t.
And when the DOD listens to me you’ll know hell froze over.
Not only should they not be considered part of the military, any military retiree should be stripped of their retirement pay and benefits while those who still are on active service, part of the reserves/Guards should be kicked out of the military with no pension, no GI Bill, no educational benefits, no medical care, etc.