Today we are celebrating Veterans day in accordance with the uniform holiday act, signed into law by Lyndon B Johnson. It took effect in 1971. The opening paragraph in his official explanation of the bill was: "The bill that we sign today will help Americans to enjoy more fully the country that is their magnificent heritage. It will also aid the work of Government and bring new efficiency to our economy." Yes sir, it has certainly accomplished all of that and more. Politicians sure have a way explaining things to the peasants. He did go on to explain that these three day weekends would give families the chance to get together more often, they would also provide for more "vacation" planning. It was a quality of life issue even before we were concerned about the quality of life! Democrats making things more convenient for everyone since 1971.
As most of us know November 11 was chosen as Veterans day in remembrance of the ending of WW1. The armistice was signed on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month in 1918 officially ending hostilities. One year later President Woodrow Wilson declared that date as Armistice day. In 1954 President Eisenhower changed the name to Veterans Day to further recognize all veterans regardless of the time they had served. WW2 and Korea most especially as those conflicts were still fresh in the minds of Americans. I remember as a child hearing my parents and grandparents talking about armistice day and poppies. Yes, I'm that old. I also remember when Abraham and George had their own birthdays, not lumped in with all the others for a three day weekend. But, it has brought a new efficiency to our government just as Woodrow said.
Here in Greensboro Md we do not have a veterans day parade or observances that I am aware of. We did have a parade 13 years ago, followed by a brief ceremony. I was honored by being allowed to speak at that ceremony. I was in uniform and accompanied by several young Marines that also participated. I have asked about having another and there was zero interest from anyone regarding that. Everyone seemed to have other plans for that three day weekend. We have no veterans groups here, no VFW or American Legion post. There simply aren't enough veterans interested to support that.
I have to include myself in that group, as I have never had a strong interest in joining any of those organizations. I did go one time to check it out and I didn't feel welcome at all. I got the feeling I was more of an intruder than a comrade. I'm not a local boy, I'm an outsider, from New York of all places. No, I just didn't feel like I belonged with that group. The only thing I had ever seen them doing was having a bull roast and bingo anyway. I never saw them presenting the colors or holding any ceremonies at the cemeteries. No parade, so no marching either. In the one parade I mentioned I was told they would find a car for me to ride in. I was to ride in the backseat of a car, like some ancient relic from the distant past? I told that parade organizer I would march in the parade! Yes, I had been in the war, but not the civil war! The parade route was less than a mile.
I have a video I created of my speech and a poem I wrote some years back. I share them most years on Facebook. Of course it is usually the same people so there isn't anything new about them to those folks. I place a few flags in the local cemetery to honor the veterans I know there. A few years back, as a part of the process of obtaining eagle scout, a flagpole and bench was installed at that cemetery to honor the veterans. I was happy to see that. My shadow box hangs on the wall next to the one I made from my fathers medals and devices. The flag that was draped over his coffin is also displayed there. " On the behalf of a grateful nation"
That is the same flag that our supreme court has decided may be burned, spit on, stepped on and in every way desecrated! Seems just a bit incongruous to me, to put that mildly. Perhaps that is why I cringe each time a stranger says, almost as a reflex, thank you for your service. That seldom happens as you wouldn't know I was a veteran unless I have to provide my ID for a discount or something. IT was much the same way when I was a young guy, almost all my parents generation were veterans but you didn't know it, nobody was thanking them, and they weren't advertising that fact. Really it was assumed that they were. Those smoke filled lodges where they gathered was their therapy, their solace from war and the things that had seen and done. They did present the colors with a swell of pride, marching in those parades, reliving in their minds that time of brotherhood, when your life literally depended upon those around you.
Those that marched before
our shoes are brightly polished
our uniforms so neat
the sergeant calls cadence
with the marching of our feet
old soldiers, old sailors
marching side by side
marching to remember
our comrades that have died
never to be forgotten
remembered forevermore
a grand parade to celebrate
those that marched before
A.B. Reichart
The boys I marched with in 1971. Great Lames. Ill.
I retired in 1993 after having marched with many
After having written and posted this I realized that Veterans Day is not included in the uniform holiday act and in fact remains celebrated officially on the 11th. Sorry for the bad information there.
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